According to ancient custom, the “maister men” of the dale were to assemble at nine o’clock on the morning following the winding, and it was to meet their needs that old Mrs. Branthwaite and her daughter had walked over to assist Rotha.  The long oak table had to be removed from the wall before the window, and made to stand down the middle of the floor.  Robbie Anderson had arrived early at the Moss in order to effect this removal.  After his muscles had exercised themselves upon the ponderous article of furniture, and had placed the benches called skemmels down each side and chairs at each end, he went into the stable to dress down the mare and sharpen her shoes preparatory to her long journey.

The preliminaries in the kitchen occupied a couple of hours, and during this time Mrs. Ray and Willy sat together in a room above.  The reason of Ralph’s absence had been explained to his mother by Rotha, who had received her information from Robbie Anderson.  The old dame had accepted the necessity with characteristic resignation.  What Ralph thought well to do she knew would be best.  She did not foresee evil consequences.

Willy had exhibited more perturbation.  Going into his brother’s room on the morning after their conversation, he saw clearly enough that the bed had not been slept upon.  The two friends of Joe Garth’s, of whom Ralph had spoken with so much apparent unconcern, had obviously driven him away from home in the depth of the night.  Then came Rotha’s explanation.

His worst fears were verified.  Was it conceivable that Ralph could escape the machinations of those who had lain a web that had already entangled the lord of Wythburn himself?  Every one who had served in the trained bands of the Parliament was at the mercy of any man, who, for the gratification of personal spite, chose to become informer against him.

The two strangers had been seen in the city during the preceding day.  It was obviously their purpose to remain until time itself verified the rumor that Ralph had left these parts to escape them.  The blacksmith had bragged in his cups at the Red Lion that Wilfrey Lawson of the constable’s court at Carlisle would have Ralph Ray in less than a week.  Robbie Anderson had overheard this, and had reported it at the Moss.  Robbie professed to know better, and to be able to laugh at such pretensions.  Willy was more doubtful.  He thought his better education, and consequently more intimate acquaintance with the history of such conflicts with the ruling powers, justified him in his apprehensions.  He sat with his mother while the business was going on downstairs, apparently struggling with an idea that it was his duty to comfort her, but offering such curious comfort that the old dame looked up again and again with wide eyes, which showed that her son was suggesting to her slower intellect a hundred dangers and a hundred moods of sorrow that she could neither discover for herself nor cope with.