The horror of the knowledge of this plot was upon him as he went forth into the streets and felt the keen air and the cold rain dashing in his face.  He could not doubt the truth of Esther’s words.  All he had seen and heard tallied too well with it to leave in his mind any room for doubt.  A plot of some sort he had always suspected—­he would have been foolish indeed to have come to any other conclusion; but a plot of such malignity and such diabolical scope would never have presented itself to his mind.  He found it hard to believe that such a terrible thing could be menaced against the King and the nobles of the land, many amongst whom must surely be of the same faith as those conspirators who were plotting in the dark.

And then the peril that menaced the Trevlyns—­what of that?  Cuthbert remembered the looks bent upon him a few days back by the men-at-arms in the Parliament House.  He remembered the light of the sentry flashing in his face as he turned away from the door in at which the tall man they called Guido Fawkes had vanished but a few moments before.  He knew that he had been observed more than once with some attention as he had stepped on board his wherry, or had brought it up to the mooring place.  Could it be that he was really watched and suspected?  It seemed like it, indeed.  And what was more serious still, his kinsmen were like to fall under suspicion through his rash disregard of warnings.

For himself Cuthbert cared comparatively little—­perhaps rather too little—­for he possessed a strong dash of his father’s stubbornness of disposition; and in him the Trevlyn courage was intermingled with a good deal of absolute rashness and hardihood; but the thought that Sir Richard and his family should suffer for his sake was intolerable.  That must at all cost be prevented.  Surely he could warn them and avert the danger.

As the youth walked rapidly westward through the miry streets, he was revolving the situation rapidly in his mind, and at last he reached a conclusion which he muttered aloud as he went.

“That will be the best:  I will to mine uncle and Philip and tell them that.  It will make them hasten away at once; but I will not go with them.  If I am suspected I must not be seen with them, nor seem to have dealings with them.  If they leave town and I remain, none will suspect that I have warned them and sent them forth.  To fly with them would at once raise such thoughts.  Here must I remain, and let myself be seen abroad, so will they the better escape Miriam’s evil intent.  Sir Richard has friends at Court.  Lord Andover and others will speak for him if need be.  I doubt me much, he being quietly gone, whether any will dare to strive to bring his name into disgrace.  There be those to find who are the guilty ones.  Sure they may let the innocent go free.  As for me, I will not flee.  I would fain see the end of this matter.  And perchance I might even warn Master Robert Catesby of the peril that hangs over his head.  Strange how so gentle and courteous a gentleman can sell himself to a work of such devilish wickedness!”