The days for a week after that were very busy ones. Every day some one or two bags were packed, and quietly conveyed at nightfall by Mrs Collenwood's own man to an inn about four miles distant. Pandora was kept indoors, except one day, when she went with Mrs Collenwood to take leave of Christie. That morning the priest called and expressed a wish to speak to her: but being told that she was gone to see a friend, said he would call again the following day. Of this they were told on their return. Mrs Collenwood's cheeks paled a little; then, with set lips, and a firm step, she sought her brother in his closet, or as we should say, his study. "Tom," she said, when the door was safely shut, "we must be gone this night." Mr Roberts looked up in considerable astonishment. "This night!--what mean you, Frances? The clouds be gathering for rain, and your departure was fixed for Thursday." "Ay, the clouds be gathering," repeated Mrs Collenwood meaningly, "and I am 'feared Pandora, if not I, may be caught in the shower. Have you not heard that Father Bastian desired to speak with her whilst we were hence this morrow? We must be gone, Tom, ere he come again." Mr Roberts, who was busy with his accounts, set down a five as the addition of eight and three, with a very faint notion of what he was doing. "Well!" he said, in an undecided manner. "Well! it is--it is not--it shall look--" "How should it look," replied Mrs Collenwood, with quiet incisiveness, "to see Pandora bound to the stake for burning?" Mr Roberts threw out his hands as if to push away the terrible suggestion. "It may come to that, Tom, if we tarry. For, without I mistake, the girl is not made of such willowy stuff as--some folks be." She just checked herself from saying, "as you are." Mr Roberts passed his fingers through his hair, in a style which said, as plainly as words, that he was about at his wits' end. Perhaps he had not far to go to reach that locality. "Good lack!" he said. "Dear heart!--well-a-day!" "She will be safe with me," said her aunt, "for a time at least. And if danger draw near there also, I can send her thence to certain friends of mine in a remote part amongst the mountains, where a priest scarce cometh once in three years. And ere that end, God may work changes in this world." "Well, if it must be--" "It must be, Tom; and it shall be for the best." "It had been better I had wist nought thereof. They shall be sure to question me." Mrs Collenwood looked with a smile of pitying contempt on the man who was weaker than herself. The contempt predominated at first: then it passed into pity. "Thou shalt know nought more than now, Tom," she said quietly. "Go thou up, and get thee a-bed, but leave the key of the wicket-gate on this table." "I would like to have heard you had gat safe away," said poor Mr Roberts, feeling in his pockets for the key. "You would speedily hear if we did not," was the answer.