"If she speaks, no one will believe her," cried Anne laughing. "She shall be seized for a witch, and she dare not charge me with helping her, for if she did it would only be accusing herself, and that she dare not do. Neither dare I let her be at liberty till I am dear Mark's wife. After this she may do her worst." Full of this intent--for now that the old woman had obtruded herself once more upon her path, she really feared her--Anne hurried back towards the Moat, feeling anything but secure while Mother Goodhugh was at liberty. Her mind had been too much occupied of late during Sir Mark's long visits to trouble herself about the old woman, and whatever thought she had had of the terrible night at the Pool-house had been gradually allowed to grow dull. The great thing had been that the wedding had been stayed, but, now that she thought the matter over, she felt sure that Mother Goodhugh had been guilty of some desperate deed; and to bring it home to herself--if the old woman would do such a thing for gain, might she not do it for revenge? Anne shuddered and her brow grew cloudy as she felt that she could not set Mother Goodhugh aside as one that she need not fear. Sir Mark was not yet her husband, and what if some terrible catastrophe were to happen to prevent the wedding. "I should go mad," she muttered; and she paused to think whether it would be better to try a bribe. "She wants too much money, and if I did silence her now she would be pestering me with claims for more, and threaten and harass me. No, mother; you have opened the battle again, so now let us see which of us is the stronger." Hurrying to her father's room lest her mind should change, Anne had a long colloquy with him, introducing the subject of witchcraft incidentally. "Sir Mark tells me, father, that his Majesty strongly approves of efforts being made to keep down witches in this country." "Yes, my dear, so I heard Sir Mark say," replied Sir Thomas, putting on his carplike visage, and gaping and panting at his daughter, as his eyes stood out wide and round. "Why should you not do something to commend yourself to the King?" "But what could I do, child?" said Sir Thomas. "True, there is nothing you could, unless you arrested Mother Goodhugh." "You forbad it once, but the very thing!" cried Sir Thomas, eagerly. "But she is not a witch," said Anne, dubiously. "Nay, my child, but, according to his Majesty's book, she has all the signs of a witch in her." "Indeed, father?" "Yes, child, I have studied it all well, and can show you a dozen points wherein she answers to a witch. Anne, my child, she shall be seized and examined." "I don't think I would, father. Such women are sure to say more than is quite true, and spit their venom at random. Better let her rest in peace." "Nay, child, she shall be examined, and, if she says too much, she shall be gagged. I am not a man to be trifled with by a known and practised witch."