rd Rivers, Sir Frederick and me, at supper,
and throughout the evening he showed us all prodigious favours.
Therefore his conduct is all the more difficult to understand, if he
doth mean to be just.

"I send this by a servant which--though I have not known him long--has
hitherto been faithful; though now it doth seem hard to trust anyone.

"Pray God that the clouds of trouble may soon pass over, and the sun of
happiness again shine forth.

"I expect to soon be again upon the road to London; but our progress,
methinks, will not be great.

"Destroy this letter when thou shalt have read it.

"I remain, dearest, thy servant unto death,--

"WALTER."

When I had finished this letter I went in search of one of the men
which had gone with me to Ludlow. He was the gigantic and good natured
Irishman, whose honest and determined face made me to select him in
preference to either of his companions, who were better known to me.

"Michael," said I, when I at length found him, "I wish thee to take
this packet, and set out for Westminster Palace at once. Spare not thy
horse. When thou hast come into the Palace enquire for the Lady Hazel
Woodville. Hand her this packet. That is a part of thy duty. The
other part is for thee to make sure that thou speakest not of thy
message or journey, to anyone."

"In faith, yer honour, ye may dipind on me fer speed and a close mouth.
Oi'll be thare as soon as could the divil, with all his wings; and as
fer sacrecy, uh! sure, the damned thumb screws thimsilves could no more
draw a wourd through moy teeth than, as the priests sez, ye could pull
a camel through the houle in a nadle."

I could not help but smile at the extravagance of his speech; but I put
down my head as I fumbled with my purse, for it is not good policy to
laugh at one which is about to carry your life in his hand. "Here is
gold for thee, that thou mayest not want for aught upon thy way," and I
handed him the full of my hand of Gloucester's easily won gold pieces.
I knew that this would lend him the wings of Mercury, and would tie his
mouth more tightly; and so it did.

"Hivin bliss yer honour!" said he. "Whoy, Oi can buy out the houle o'
London with sich a fortune."

So the faithful fellow mounted his horse and rode off at such a goodly
pace as left no doubt in my mind that my message would reach Hazel in
time for the Queen to take whatever action she might think best.

CHAPTER XIII

THE FLIGHT FROM TH