ntly Lord Shrope reentered the tent and with him there came one at
sight of whom Francis gave a great cry.

"My father!" And not even the presence of the queen could prevent her
from running forward to embrace him. Her father gave no sign that he knew
of her presence, but advancing to where the queen stood, knelt before her
saying:

"You sent for me, Your Grace, and I am here."

"My Lord Stafford," said Elizabeth affably, "thou knowest that when thou
didst present thyself before us, beseeching us to permit you to be of
service in defending our person, that we agreed that time should prove
thy worth. My lord, thou and thy son have redeemed yourselves nobly in
our eyes. Rise, my lord! You are restored to your right of blood and to
your property. Thy son also hath our full and free forgiveness."

"Madam, thou art graciousness itself," said Lord Stafford kissing her
hand. "I do repent me of all my transgression against you, but from this
time forth, my queen, by the grace of God, you will have no stauncher
subject than William Stafford. As for my daughter----"

"Thy daughter?" cried Elizabeth. "Thy daughter? What mean you,
Stafford?"

"He means, Your Highness," cried Lord Shrope, "that his son is not a boy,
but a girl."

"Hold thy tongue, Shrope!" commanded the queen sharply. "Thy wits are
addled. Who is there who will read the riddle clearly? Thou, Francis
Stafford?"

But Francis, utterly miserable in that her father took no notice of her,
was sobbing bitterly and therefore could not reply.

"Let me read it, Your Majesty," said Lord Stafford, and receiving consent
he related the whole story from the time of her coming to Stafford Hall,
concluding with,

"I know not, Your Highness, why she doth continue to wear the garb unless
from dire perversity----"

"Nay;" cried Francis, her spirit asserting itself. "'Tis because 'twas at
thy bidding that I donned it, and I vowed never to remove it until thou
didst bid me so to do. Oh, would that I had perished in battle ere thy
hardness toward me should pierce me with such agony!" And she again gave
way to her grief.

"Why, what hath she done, my lord?" asked the queen curiously.

"She betrayed my trust, Your Grace," answered Lord Stafford.

"Nay, Stafford," exclaimed both Walsingham and Lord Shrope together. "You
wrong the girl."

"Wrong her?" asked Lord Stafford eagerly. "Speak, my lords! If ye can
convince me of that ye shall remove all that my heart holdeth of
b