‘The thief must have been one who knew the place,’ said Faithful.

‘Why dost thou think so?’ asked his master.

‘How swooped he else so quietly upon the best animal, sir?’ returned the man.

‘She was in the place of honour,’ answered Mr. Heywood.

‘Scudamore!’ said Richard to himself.  It might be no light—­only a flash in his brain.  But that even was precious in the utter darkness.

‘Sir,’ he said, turning to his father, ’I would I had a plan of Raglan stables.’

‘What wouldst thou an’ thou hadst, my son?’ asked Mr. Heywood.

’Nay, sir, that wants thinking.  But I believe my poor mare is at this moment in one of those vaults they tell us of.’

’It may be, my son.  It is reported that the earl hath of late been generous in giving of horses.  Poor soldiers the king will find them that fight for horses, or titles either.  Such will never stand before them that fight for the truth—­in the love thereof!  Eh, Richard?’

‘Truly, sir, I know not,’ answered his son, disconsolately.  ’I hope I love the truth, and I think so doth Stopchase, after his kind; and yet were we of those that fled from Atherton moor.’

’Thou didst not flee until thou couldst no more, my son.  It asketh greater courage of some men to flee when the hour of flight hath come, for they would rather fight on to the death than allow, if but to their own souls, that they are foiled.  But a man may flee in faith as well as fight in faith, my son, and each is good in its season.  There is a time for all things under the sun.  In the end, when the end cometh, we shall see how it hath all gone.  When, then, wilt thou ride?’

‘To-morrow, an’ it please you, sir.  I should fight but evil with the knowledge that I had left my best battle-friend in the hands of the Philistines, nor sent even a cry after her.’

’What boots it, Richard?  If she be within Raglan walls, they yield her not again.  Bide thy time; and when thou meetest thy foe on thy friend’s back, woe betide him!’

‘Amen, sir!’ said Richard.  ’But with your leave I will not go to-day.  I give you my promise I will go to-morrow.’

’Be it so, then.  Stopchase, let the men be ready at this hour on the morrow.  The rest of the day is their own.’

So saying, Roger Heywood turned away, in no small distress, although he concealed it, both at the loss of the mare and his son’s grief over it.  Betaking himself to his study, he plunged himself straightway deep in the comfort of the last born and longest named of Milton’s tracts.

The moment he was gone, Richard, who had now made up his mind as to his first procedure, sent Stopchase away, saddled Oliver, rode slowly out of the yard, and struck across the fields.  After a half-hour’s ride he stopped at a lonely cottage at the foot of a rock on the banks of the Usk.  There he dismounted, and having fastened his horse to the little gate in front, entered a small garden full of sweet-smelling herbs mingled with a few flowers, and going up to the door, knocked, and then lifted the latch.