* * * * *
The sight of the Chartley woods, tall and splendid in the light of the
setting sun, and already tinged here and there with the first marks of
autumn, brought his indecision to a point; and he realized that he had
no plan. He had heard that Mary occasionally rode abroad, and he hoped
perhaps to get speech with her that way; but what he had heard from the
clerk and others showed him that this small degree of liberty was now
denied to the Queen. In some way or another he must get news of Mr.
Bourgoign. Beyond that he knew nothing.
* * * * *
The great gates of Chartley were closed as the two came up to them.
There was a lodge beside them, and a sentry stood there. A bell was
ringing from the great house within the woods, no doubt for supper-time,
but there was no other human being besides the sentry to be seen. So
Robin did not even check his weary horse; but turned only, with a
deliberately curious air, as he went past and rode straight on. Then, as
he rounded a corner he saw smoke going up from houses, it seemed,
outside the park.
"What is that?" asked Arnold suddenly. "Do you hear--?"
A sound of a galloping horse grew louder behind them, and a moment
afterwards the sound of another. The two priests were still in view of
the sentry; and knowing that Chartley was guarded now as if it had all
the treasures of the earth within, Robin reflected that to show too
little interest might arouse as sharp suspicion as too much.
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