294 



THE EXETER ROAD 



ness of his wife, who wormed the secret out of him, 

 of his being engaged in this mysterious atiair w^ith a 

 party of strangers. All the country was ringing with 

 the escape of Charles from Worcester and the hue and 

 cry after him, and tlie woman rightly guessed whom 

 these people might be. She effectually prevented her 

 husband from jDutting in an appearance by the threat 



SIGN OF THE 'SHIP,' MORECOMBLAKE. 



that if he made any such attempt she would inform 

 the magistrate. 



Wearied with watching for the promised boat, the 

 King's companions reluctantly had to make Charmouth 

 the resting-place of the party for the night. In the 

 mornino; it was found that the Kino-'s horse had cast 

 a shoe. When it was taken to the blacksmith, that 

 w^orthy remarked the quaint circumstance that the 

 three others had l:)een replaced in three different 

 counties, and one of these three in Worcestershire. 



