But Will said sturdily, ’Mistresses, you may do as you will; I will neither eat nor sleep in that evil house.  There is a scent of death and sin breathing from it; I perceived it as we stood at the door.’

‘And will you desert us then, Will?’ said Althea.  ’Have you come so far, to forsake us now?’

‘Who spoke of forsaking?’ growled Will.  ’I can find some balk, some cobbler’s stall, without the house, to sleep on, if you will lodge within.  The watch-dog lies not in the house, I trow?  But if you must lodge there, enter not openly, nor let it be known you are within; you may be suspected for thieves or worse.’

‘Yours is no fool’s advice,’ said Althea shortly.

So we lingered out the time till nightfall in buying some needful things,—­bread and meat and candles,—­having to walk far before we found shops open; then, as night thickened, we stole into the desolate house, and groped our way to a room at the back, where we lit our candles and looked about us.  ’Twas a richly furnished withdrawing-room, with windows open on a garden.

‘There will I sleep,’ said Will.  ’I had rather have the free sky over me than this roof; so give me but a hunch of bread to sup on, and let me go.’

There was little use in crossing him, so we gave him some meat and bread; but we prayed his help first to make all the doors fast, which he willingly did; then he showed us how to secure the window after him, and so slipt out into the night.

Now we looked at one another, and felt desolate and dismayed for a moment.  Then I said, ’Let us commend our cause to God, sister; He will hear us;’ and we knelt down together and implored the Divine protection; after which we felt at peace, and so took courage to sup on the food we had brought.  Then we made fast our door on the inside, and lay down to sleep on the floor, with our mantles for coverlets and our bundles for pillows.  I never slept in such rude fashion, nor ever more sweetly and soundly.

Early in the morning there came a tapping at the window that wakened me; so I rose and drew back the curtain, and saw that Will was moving about in the garden.  We let him in shortly, and gave him some food, which he carried with him out of doors; then, coming back, he excused his incivility of the night before.  ‘But I cannot eat nor sleep here,’ said he.  ‘In all other matters I am your servant.’

He had lodged for the night in an empty dog-kennel, which he showed us, close against a side-door that led out to the street.

‘There,’ said he, ’I can do you better watchman’s service than if I lay within; and by that door you may come and go unespied of any gossips.’

Althea smiled, and commended his thoughtfulness.  Then she said,—­

‘You will come with us now, Will?  We must examine this house;’ so he stepped in, shuddering, and looking round almost with horror.