Heinrich turned down a dark lane, still holding her by the hand and patting it reassuringly. His quiet confidence restored her confidence, and she was content to go his pace. At last he came to a ramshackle building. It might have been an old cart-house, or a place where cows were lodged, or a stable. At another time she would have hesitated to be drawn into such a darkness, especially as she could not discern what the place was like; but the instinct of flight disposed her to disregard everything in the way of doubt. She thought of nothing but that one purpose, to get away from those minions who had threatened her with the torture chamber. Going slowly, lest Margaret should stumble, and holding her firmly by the hand to lead her round obstacles which he knew of and which she could not see, Heinrich stopped suddenly. Margaret could feel, although she could not see, that he was bending forward. Then he tapped sharply three or four times. "Who is it?" came a woman's voice. "Mother, I am here. Open the door." CHAPTER XXI THE MILL IN THE FOREST When Tyndale and his companions stood on the river bank, after having quitted the cavern, there was no sign of any boat such as the forester had spoken of. "I've come wide of the mark," said Engel, after looking up and down the stream as if to get his bearings. "Yes; but I see now. We must go a bit to the left and then we shall find Brunow, who said he would wait until we came." The others started when they saw a black form rise as if coming out of the water. "Who goes there?" came a quiet but manly toned challenge. "Otto Engel. Is anybody about?" the forester asked. "Not that I can see. The pirate lord up yonder has found enough booty to last two or three nights, and there is not so much as a sentinel at the landing-stage. Still, don't linger. I'd like to get away. One never knows who may be about. Which is the Englishman?" "I am," said Tyndale, going closer to the boatman, and before long he was seated in the flat-bottomed boat, and, the others having stepped into it, the forester was helping to pull to the other bank. "Now 'tis easy going, please God," said Engel, when they stepped out on the meadow and the boatman made his craft fast. "I'd not be too sure of it!" he exclaimed, "and it were best to be alert when such an one as Cochlaeus is on the quest for anybody tainted with heresy." The boatman stood in his boat and looked about him, and they could barely see his movements in the darkness. "It's well that there was no moon while we were crossing, but I think she's coming. If you hurry over the meadow you may reach the forest yonder before she comes away from those clouds which look like breaking up. And we are not likely presently to have a very dark night." "We'll go at once," said Engel, and, bidding Tyndale take his arm since it would help him, and telling Roye to carry the wallet, he bade the boatman "good-night," and moved across the meadow.