Smite off my head, then, but thou hast a fair service as the wind lies now-a-days! Nay, pray thee, abide a space; as by that token thou shouldst know somewhat of this my gossip, sometime yeoman to the goodly knight whose head we have just lightened of the load of his body. Saint Thomas to speed, brother! wherefore art thou thus chary of thy face?" he said, turning round the other as he spoke with a sudden thrust of his elbow, and discovering him to them thereby for that villain Anselm.

"By my faith know I no good of him!" answered the steward, striking his beast's sides with his heels.

"Hold yet! quoth the squire," and tell us what guerdon thou deemest fittest for his deserts."

"A stout rope made fast to the highest gallows in England," answered Master Nicholas, again striving to pass; but the 'squire caught his rein.

"By Saint Frides wide, thy judgment accords so rarely with mine own, that thou shalt even stay and lend the church's countenance to the remnant of our day's work. Ho! Simkin! Huberd! bind me here this fair 'squire incontinently; and thou, Hodge, hie thee to the town bailiff for a rope in the king's name. For gallows, truly will we borrow a limb of yonder old oak. And now, caitiff, if thou wouldst ask pardon of thy sins dispatch whilst the friar is by, for thy moments are few."

"Grandmercy brother! but by your licence I will even leave such gear to the other side of the gallows, where, haply, I may find less haste and fairer fellowship," said the ribald with a sneer.

By this the rope was brought, and the 'squire anon applying himself to the business on hand, took no farther heed of the Damosel or those with her; who forthwith made their escape as quickly as they might, and rode out of the town without stop; all but Gauchet, who overtook them some few miles on their way, having tarried the final ending of that villain, for assurance, as he said, that they had naught farther to fear from him in time to come.

How joyful was May Avis, after such sights of blood and horror, when in few hours more she saw before her, from the summit of a gently-swelling hill, the grey walls and roofs of Eltham, and in short space alighted at the lodging appointed by her lord in the house of an ancient widow hard by the palace gates.

Here that noble prelate himself vouchsafed that same day to seek her; and certes, he looked and spoke with such benignity joined to his high courtesy, that the Damosel had joyful assurance he was well pleased with her in all things.

"Heaven bless thee! my dear child," he said, "and give thee to make as goodly profit of thy happier fortunes as thou hast drawn from thy past troubles. Though but for thy womanly goodness and discretion, which, be sure, have been all made known to me, little account would I make of the fairness of favour or courtliness of behaviour, which I now perceive thine old friend John hath not overpraised."

It

May Avis blushed redder than the rose; though whether at the praise or at the name of him who gave it, might not be known. seemed, nevertheless, that her thoughts were discerned of that gracious lord, who went on to say

"He of whom I spake, Avis, is in good health, and will be here, I trust, to-morrow, on his return from Bordeaux, where our lord the king's business hath taken him; a cause for the which thou must pardon his not writing to thee at Paris, his errand requiring no less secresy than despatch.

"Now wilt thou naturally desire to learn to what end I have thus sent for thee in haste. It was, in truth, the ruin and forfeiture of that wretched man (of whose evil ending, it seems, thou hast been this day an enforced witness) that made me desire thy presence thus early, in the hope that our gracious king may be pleased to amend thy hard hap, if not by restoring the lands, yet by decreeing thee fair compensation for thy claim from those to whom they may be granted. Wherefore, hold thyself ready betimes to-morrow, against thou art wanted, since our liege lord tarries, as I have cause to deem, but the coming of one who hath crossed the seas in company with thy friend John Ashtoft to make final disposition of the fief of Malthorpe."

Little, you may think, was the rest of the maiden that night, maugre all her long and weary travel; and she was already risen and afoot when there came a gentleman from the Lord Gilbert to bid her make ready in all haste to go with him to the palace.

Throwing over her a veil that very moment, she tripped down the stair; but ere she had crossed the threshold she was staid by Sir Gauchet, who caught her by the border of her mantle, crying-" Beseech thee, sweet lady, a boon!"

"Nay, Gauchet," she said, "abide until I come again; knowest thou not I am sent for to my lord? and, it may be, to go before the king's grace likewise."

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Yea, lady, and therefore speak I now, since our grace also lieth that way."

"Out and alas! deemest thou I have licence to prate "

"Needs not to speak even one word, lady."

"Dearest lady!" said Gillian from behind, I beseech you hear him ; as, please God, you may thereby do a pious deed."

"Yea, wench, and dost thou join? Quick, then, tell me the business

at once.

Marry to give to my Lord Prior's hand, afore he leaves the king's presence, this token, which my gossip hath been vainly seeking a season to deliver to him ever since we came here yestereve.'

With that he gave into her hand a little key, hanging by a chain of steel curiously wrought to a ring of gold, and sped him away in all haste as if to shun farther question; while May Avis, concealing the token under her girdle, followed quickly after the squire, and in short space had forgotten the whole matter in presence of her lord, who had vouchsafed to tarry her coming in the outer chamber, that he might himself lead her to audience of King Henry.

That noble prince, now no longer banished and maligned, but dwelling in the palace of his grandsire King Edward in all royal array of magnificence, received the maiden with no less courtesy of speech and demeanour than he was wont to use in other times, and, graciously raising her, bade her rehearse to him her present suit, which she did in as few words and as fair and fitting phrase as might well be; for truly

none were better skilled in the behaviour and speech meet for such place and occasion.

"Maiden," said the king, after attentively listening her tale to the end, "out of doubt hast thou sustained foul and grievous wrong. Nevertheless, ere we can advise on what amends shall be made thee, need is that we first hear another, who likewise maketh suit to us as lawful owner of the lands of Malthorpe Manor.”

Hereupon, at a sign from the king, a knight in waiting threw back a pair of doors over against those whereby they had entered, and there stepped forth from within Sir John Ashtoft, leading in the gentle page half-brother to the Countess Alcyone.

"Behold, noble Lord of Charlewode," said the king, "the rightful heir of Malthorpe. Have here our royal faith to pledge that this boy is known to us, by sure token, for Basil, the only son of that stout knight Sir Thomas Mourtray, erewhile of Dervil's Cross and Malthorpe Manor."

In good sooth, the Lord Gilbert looked for one moment utterly aghast; but, in the next, he bent his knee before the king, saying, "Beseech you, my gracious liege, pardon my boldness, but fain would I inquire, if within your royal knowledge, whether Sir Thomas Mourtray yet lives."

"In as far as is known to us," said the king, "he lives at this moment-though where have we bootlessly sought to discover, since he committed to our care and favour this boy, who now makes suit to us, by his guardian the Earl of Derby, for restitution of his heritage. Against which plea, as it seemeth to us, none is there to raise debate or question save this young maiden, whose claim we purpose to satisfy after another manner. How sayest thou, noble Lord Gilbert? Since our ward is a bachelor and thine a damosel, methinks fairer ending to our suit can there be none than a marriage, in due time, betwixt these twain; and, in good faith, thus have we privately stablished since first the matter was brought before us. How now, Lord Prior? Truly thy looks are not wholly such as we would see them. Hast thou aught to urge against our purpose?"

All there stood, in very deed, mute and motionless, as if a thunderdint had fallen amongst them; all save the pretty page, who, breaking from the loosened hold of Sir John Ashtoft, ran forthwith to the Damosel, praying her to marry, and live with him, and make him a great clerk, which alone might comfort him for the not being a monk ; and he would love her, and learn of her as willingly and diligently as did his sea-bird, now that she had again got that noble knight to beteach her.

"Lord Prior," said the king again, we tarry thy reply. Hast thou aught to offer against our pleasure?"

"Alas! much, my most gracious lord, were I not unhappily vowed to silence only to be broken on sight of certain tokens, which he who holds them lacketh, as it seems, either the means or the honesty to send."

The Lord Prior spake like a man well nigh despairing; but he spake not in vain; for the mention of tokens had caught the ear of the Damosel Avis as she was about to cast herself at the king's feet, and, sud

denly calling to mind the key and ring of Gauchet, as also his words, she drew them hastily forth and placed in the hands of the prelate.

At that first moment she knew not if it were good or harm her boldness had wrought; for, at sight thereof, the Lord Gilbert started, stared, rubbed his eyes, then turned the tokens over and over in his hands, and finally cast himself at the king's feet.

"My royal lord, in this moment have my lips been unsealed-though by what means as yet I know not; and now await I but your gracious licence to speak."

"Speak, Lord Prior," said the king; "we await thy tidings."

"My liege," said the prelate, "it is yet well remembered of many that Sir Thomas Mourtray was first espoused to a lady of the house of Nevil, and my kinswoman, who died shortly after his troubles, leaving him a fair son, then an infant."

"Of that truly are we ware," answered King Henry, "by the token, that Sir Thomas himself made mention to us of such a one, whom he held to be now either dead, or else a monk in an English convent."

"Certes, my liege, troubled he not himself to discover the truth by inquiry at any time after the boy, who was given by him to my care in infancy to be made a monk or aught else it pleased me, so I would swear never to bewray to him or any his real parentage until I had licence thereunto by the sight of these tokens-whereof one is the key of a steel coffer in my keeping, wherein are writings that belong alone to the heir of the Mourtrays."

"And that heir?" said the king, quickly.

"So soothly, my lord, in your royal presence; being the youth I fostered up in humble wise at Charlewode under the feigned name of John Ashtoft."

Great indeed was the amazement of all present at this discovery, but most specially of the Damosel Avis, whose hue changed so suddenly and entirely thereupon that she seemed about to swoon; nor could she answer for a space to the inquiries of the Lord Gilbert, who, so soon as he knew whence she had the tokens, besought the king to have the bearer sought for and examined thereupon.

"Nay, Lord Gilbert," said that royal prince, "be that thine office. For ourselves, we hold that which we have now learned from thy lips for perfect assurance on the matter; as in nowise doubted we the gentle birth of our good knight, whereof both his own bearing and the report of others have made worthy proof to us. Alone doth it displease us, Sir John, that the fiefs we freely restore to thee must be yet awhile burdened with the payments due to this Damosel, whose right thereunto we may not gainsay; but in amends thereof, not less than in guerdon of thy good service to ourselves, do we, as at this time, create thee a baron and peer of our realm by the name of Lord Mourtray of Malthorpe."

"Yet further to advance thy fortunes," went on the king, when the new baron had made his obeisance and returned fitting thanks, "we pledge our royal word to aid with our good offices towards a rich and noble marriage, such as thy birth and state may challenge, so soon as thou hast concluded where to choose."

"So please it you, my gracious liege," said the Lord Mourtray, "my

choice is long since stablished, and prays but your royal consent to abide-here, where alone it hath been fixed from early childhood ;" and with that he took the hand of Avis Forde, who, though she changed countenance not less suddenly and strangely than she had done before, seemed in nowise loth to yield it.

"And in good faith commend we thy choice," answered that prudent prince, well pleased at heart thus readily to acquit his promise. "The Damosel, for worth and fairness, may well beseem a court, as ourselves have witnessed; moreover, her plea against the lands of Malthorpe shall be voided by this marriage, even as we designed but now on behalf of our ward Basil. For him, doubt not that he shall be our care in time to come-though his present fosterage commit we to thee his nighest of kindred, if, in very deed, his sister, the Lady of Beaucaire, who would scantly yield him up to thee at Bourdeaux for his own profit and our sending, reclaim him not forthwith on these tidings."

Pass we over the free and joyful communing of that long sundered pair, now thus happily restored one to the other, and one and both to their dear-loved home for life; as also the discourse that befel, so soon as they had left the royal presence, between them and the gracious prelate, whose contentment in their fair fortune seemed scarcely less than their own.

By command of that noble lord, inquiry was forthwith made after the messenger whose so timely delivery of the tokens had wrought this joyful change: nor were they long in finding him, being, in very deed, the pilgrim that had joined the Damosel and her company at Hampton, and who had hidden under those weeds the figure of one so vainly sought until now-Rougemain, the old yellow-haired robber.

From him had they full and sure tidings of the death of Sir Thomas Mourtray (or Messire Basil de L'Angle, as he had called himself after he renounced his own country for France and the Duke of Anjou's service) who had deceased a fortnight before at the convent in Bourges, whither he had betaken himself, after committing his children to the Earl of Derby, in hope to make satisfaction for the misdeeds of a long and evil life by dying in habit of a monk.

Little true sorrow, in verity, could there be felt of any who heard these tidings for one who, from first to last, had proved himself utterly reckless and regardless of all others, and had only been moved at his dying hour to acknowledge his rightful heir by the urgent prayers of Rougemain, who had suspicion already, by what he had learned from Gillian, of the real lineage of John Ashtoft. But such filial reverence and duty as might be shown by assuring to him the offices of holy church, were unsparingly rendered by those he left behind; and trentals and masses out of number were said and sung for his repose, both at Charlewode cell and the convent where he lay; not to speak of those performed at Aix and Beaucaire, by command of the Countess Alcyone, on behalf alike of her young brother and herself.

"In verity this Rougemain hath been to us both a true and a helpful friend," said the Damosel Avis, when she had heard the tale, "and earnestly would I pray you, my dear lord, that we strive to requite him worthily therefore with as little delay as may be."

"Yea, dear Avis, in this, as in all things else, will we do that which