“You here, my son,” cried Paslew.  “I hoped you had escaped.”

“Ey’m i’ nah dawnger, feyther abbut,” replied Hal.  “Ey’n getten leef to visit ye fo a minute only, so ey mun be brief.  Mey yourself easy, ye shanna dee be’t hongmon’s honds.”

“How, my son!” cried Paslew.  “I understand you not.”

“Yo’n onderstond me weel enough by-and-by,” replied Hal.  “Dunnah be feart whon ye see me next; an comfort yoursel that whotever cums and goes, your death shall be avenged o’ your warst foe.”

Paslew would have sought some further explanation, but Hal stepped quickly backwards, and striking his foot against the door, it was instantly opened by the guard, and he went forth.

Not long after this, the Earl of Derby entered the great hall, and his first inquiry was as to the safety of the prisoners.  When satisfied of this, he looked forth, and shuddered at the dismal state of the weather.  While he was addressing some remarks on this subject, and on its interference with the tragical exhibition about to take place, an officer entered the hall, followed by several persons of inferior condition, amongst whom was Hal o’ Nabs, and marched up to the earl, while the others remained standing at a respectful distance.

“What news do you bring me, sir?” cried the earl, noticing the officer’s evident uneasiness of manner.  “Nothing hath happened to the prisoners?  God’s death! if it hath, you shall all answer for it with your bodies.”

“Nothing hath happened to them, my lord,” said the officer,—­“but—­”

“But what?” interrupted the earl.  “Out with it quickly.”

“The executioner from Lancaster and his two aids have fled,” replied the officer.

“Fled!” exclaimed the earl, stamping his foot with rage; “now as I live, this is a device to delay the execution till some new attempt at rescue can be made.  But it shall fail, if I string up the abbot myself.  Death! can no other hangmen be found? ha!”

“Of a surety, my lord; but all have an aversion to the office, and hold it opprobrious, especially to put churchmen to death,” replied the officer.

“Opprobrious or not, it must be done,” replied the earl.  “See that fitting persons are provided.”

At this moment Hal o’ Nabs stepped forward.

“Ey’m willing t’ ondertake t’ job, my lord, an’ t’ hong t’ abbut, without fee or rewort,” he said.

“Thou bears’t him a grudge, I suppose, good fellow,” replied the earl, laughing at the rustic’s uncouth appearance; “but thou seem’st a stout fellow, and one not likely to flinch, and may discharge the office as well as another.  If no better man can be found, let him do it,” he added to the officer.

“Ey humbly thonk your lortship,” replied Hal, inwardly rejoicing at the success of his scheme.  But his countenance fell when he perceived Demdike advance from behind the others.

“This man is not to be trusted, my lord,” said Demdike, coming forward; “he has some mischievous design in making the request.  So far from bearing enmity to the abbot, it was he who assisted him in his attempt to escape last night.”