As it was late in the afternoon before he was clear
of the metropolis, he did not proceed farther than Barnet, where he
pulled up at the inn. As soon as he had seen his horse attended to,
Edward, with his saddle-bags on his arm, went into the room in the inn
where all the travelers congregated. Having procured a bed, and given
his saddle-bags into the charge of the hostess, he sat down by the
fire, which, although it was warm weather, was nevertheless kept
alight.
Edward had made no alteration in the dress which he had worn since he
had been received in the house of Mr. Heatherstone. It was plain,
although of good materials. He wore a high-crowned hat, and,
altogether, would, from his attire, have been taken for one of the
Roundhead party. His sword and shoulder-belt were indeed of more gay
appearance than those usually worn by the Roundheads; but this was the
only difference.
When Edward first entered the room, there were three persons in it,
whose appearance was not very prepossessing. They were dressed in what
had once been gay attire, but which now exhibited tarnished lace,
stains of wine, arid dust from traveling. They eyed him as he entered
with his saddle-bags, and one of them said--
"That's a fine horse you were riding, sir.
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