THE CHASE About the time that Margaret and Betty were being rowed aboard the _San Antonio_, Peter Brome and his servants, who had been delayed an hour or more by the muddy state of the roads, pulled rein at the door of the house in Holborn.

For over a month he had been dreaming of this moment of return, as a man does who expects such a welcome as he knew awaited him, and who on the morrow was to be wed to a lovely and beloved bride.
He had thought how Margaret would be watching at the window, how, spying him advancing down the street, she would speed to the door, how he would leap from his horse and take her to his arms in front of every one if need be--for why should they be ashamed who were to be wed upon the morrow?
But there was no Margaret at the window, or at any rate he could not see her, for it was dark.

There was not even a light; indeed the whole face of the old house seemed to frown at him through the gloom.

Still, Peter played his part according to the plan; that is, he leapt from his horse, ran to the door and tried to enter, but could not for it was locked, so he hammered on it with the handle of his sword, till at length some one came and unbolted.

It was the hired man with whom Margaret had left the letter, and he held a lantern in his hand.
The sight of him frightened Peter, striking a chill to his heart.
"Who are you ?" he asked; then, without waiting for an answer, went on, "Where are Master Castell and Mistress Margaret ?" The man answered that the master was not yet back from his ship, and that the Lady Margaret had gone out nearly three hours before with her cousin Betty and a sailor--all of them on horseback.
"She must have ridden to meet me, and missed us in the dark," said Peter aloud, whereon the man asked whether he spoke to Master Brome, since, if so, he had a letter for him.
"Yes," answered Peter, and snatched it from his hand, bidding him close the door and hold up the lantern while he read, for he could see that the writing was that of Margaret.
"A strange story," he muttered, as he finished it.