she said, biting her red lips to restrain a
laugh, "to show the devotedness of your affection to the mistress by
kissing the maid. Is it a fashion taught thee by the savages?"

Arundel, notwithstanding the words of Eveline, could not discover much
severity either in the tones of her voice or the glances of her eyes,
for those were days when scarcely so great a delicacy of manners
prevailed as in the present; and, catching her to his bosom, he found
little difficulty in obtaining pardon for his fault.

"Ah, you know, Miles," said Eveline, withdrawing herself from his
embrace, "that a maiden who scolds her lover has more than half
forgiven him already."

It is unnecessary to dwell upon the particulars of a meeting, which,
even without experience of like scenes, the imagination will suggest,
and which, lacking the spice of personal interest, might appear tame,
even to those whose recollection of early emotions still has power to
send the blood with a livelier glow through the heart. From his
conversation with Eveline, the apprehensions in regard to Sir
Christopher, which began to invade the mind of Arundel, were
increased, although his fears were of an indefinite character. Without
being able to determine exactly what were the accusations against the
Knight, of one thing at least he became certain--that they were
commonly considered of too serious a nature to be passed by in
silence; that any services would hardly screen him from censure or
punishment of some sort, if they were proved; and that Spikeman was
exerting his malignity against him to an extraordinary degree.

Upon leaving Eveline, Arundel meditated on the conduct he ought to
adopt, whether to remain and await the arrival of Sir Christopher on
the next day, as he originally intended, or to return and inform him
of what he had learned. That some calamity threatened his friend, was
plain. What it was, was not so evident. The only cause of complaint
against him he could discern, was a supposed connection with Sir
Ferdinando Gorges. On this point he knew that Winthrop and his council
were extremely sensitive, warmly resenting the claim which that
gentleman made, and was trying to prosecute in England, adverse to
their patent, which he declared was void, and determined to punish
whoever should assert the title of Sir Ferdinando as superior to their
own, or should in any respect countenance or abet him in his schemes.
As for other intimations, Arundel considered th