She stopped suddenly short, for Jacob had risen, and seemed to stand towering above her, with something majestic in his air that she had certainly never observed there before.

“Cherry! for what dost thou take me?” he asked, his voice quivering with an emotion that showed him to be deeply moved.  “Hast thou so vile an opinion of the man thou mayest some day call thy husband, the man who bears the name of thy dead mother, that thou canst think such evil thoughts of him?  No, Cherry, I will not hinder him from finding thee.  I will in no wise stand between you.  I will aid him with all that is in my power to find thee.  If peril should menace him and I could stand betwixt him and it, I would do so gladly.  I would lay down my life for him, if by so doing thou and he might one day be happy.  Dost think that I prize my life so high, since I may not win the crown that would make its happiness?  If I may not live for thee, Cherry, methinks I would sooner die for thee, if by so doing I might win thee happiness and love.  I love thee and I love Cuthbert.  I ask nothing better than that I may in some sort serve and save you twain.”

And with a gesture of rugged dignity of which Cherry was keenly aware, and which raised Jacob to an altogether different level in her mind, he held out his hand as if to seal the compact, and without waiting for her broken words of explanation and apology, turned and walked out of the room.

Two days later Cherry started forth upon her travels.  Her father went part of the way with her, and left her but seven miles from the end of her journey.  She was escorted by a body of merchants and their servants, who were transporting some merchandise to Southampton, and were a goodly company in themselves for fear of assault from the robbers of the road.  As they had quantities of valuables with them, they intended to travel only during the daylight hours, and after leaving Cherry at the Cross Way House, would put up for the night at the nearest town on the southern side of the forest.

How Cherry’s heart beat as her fellow travellers pointed out the wall and chimneys of her destination, and the whole party reined up at the door!  The Cross Way House was well known to travellers as being one of the regular landmarks along the road.  It was a hospitable mansion for any wayfarers in distress, and its mistress was held in high repute, and had never yet been molested or threatened by the highway bands, who might have been troublesome to the members of any household whose walls abutted so close upon the road.  Lady Humbert was reaping the reward for the renowned kindness of heart of the whole Wyvern family towards all the lowly, the unfortunate, and the oppressed; and though many a fugitive fleeing from the robbers had found shelter within her walls, these had proved as safe shelter as the walls of any ancient sanctuary; for once within Lady Humbert’s gates and not even the most hated and hunted foe need fear further molestation.