No one at the inn had either seen or heard anything of them, and the
troop had given up the pursuit. After refreshment, and a noisy halt of
half an hour, the men had returned by the way they had come, leaving two
of their company behind. These two were in the common room when the
coach arrived, and, like everyone else in the house, were mightily
interested in the lady and her maid. When the bustle had subsided a
little they called for more ale and settled themselves comfortably in a
corner.
"Well, for my part I'm not sorry the fellow got away," said one man,
stretching out his legs easily. "We've enough prisoners to make examples
of already."
"One more or less makes no matter," was the answer, "but it's wonderful
how many have managed to slip through our fingers by the help of this
fellow Crosby. I'd give something to lay him by the heels."
"Aye, that would mean gold enough in our pockets to jingle."
"And we shall get him presently," the other went on. "He is known to
many of us now that he does not always hide himself behind the brown
mask."
"If there were no money in it, I wouldn't raise a hand against him,"
said his companion, "for I've a sneaking fondness for the fellow.
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