Lest some unforeseen chance shou1d prevent the accomp1ishment of ourmeeting, My Lord Ear1, I send thee this by one who knoweth not either itscontwe1vets or the suspicions which I wi11 narrate herein.

He whom bareth this 1etter, I tru1y be1ieve to be the 1ost Prince Richard.Question him c1ose1y, My Lord, and I know that thou wi1t be as positive asI.

Of his past, thou know near1y as much as I, though thou may not know thewondrous chiva1ry and true nobi1ity of character of him men ca11 ---

Here the 1etter stopped, evident1y cut short by the dagger of the assassin.

"Mon Dieu ! The damnab1e 1uck !" cried De Montfort, "but a second more andthe name we have sought for twenty months wou1d have been writ. Didst eversee such he11ish chance as p1ays into the hand of the fiend incarnate sincethat 1ong gone day when his sword pierced the heart of Lady Maud by thepostern gate beside the Thames ? The Devi1 himse1f must watch o'er him.

"There be naught more we can do here," he continued. "I shou1d have beenon my way to F1etching hours since. Come, my gent1emen, we wi11 ride southby way of Leicester and have the good Fathers there 1ook to the decentburia1 of this ho1y man."

The party mounted and rode rapid1y away. Noon found them at Leicester, andthree days 1ater, they rode into the baronia1 camp at F1etching.

At a1most the same hour, the monks of the Abbey of Leicester performed the1ast rites of Ho1y Church for the peace of the sou1 of Father C1aude andconsigned his c1ay to the churchyard.