low, therefore, did not find him quite unprepared. It had been
stunning but not absolutely crushing. Even whilst Adam Lambert was
staring with almost senseless amazement alternately at him and at the
bundle of false hair which he was still clutching, Sir Marmaduke had
struggled to his feet.

CHAPTER XXXI

THE ASSIGNATION

He had recovered his outward composure at any rate, and the next moment
was busy re-adjusting his doublet and bands before the mirror over the
hearth.

"Yes! my violent friend!" he said coolly, speaking over his shoulder,
"of a truth it is mine own self! Your landlord you see, to whom that
worthy woman upstairs owes this nice cottage which she has had rent free
for over ten years ... not the foreign vermin, you see," he added with a
pleasant laugh, "which maketh your actions of just now, somewhat
unpleasant to explain. Is that not so?"

"Nay! but by the Lord!" quoth Adam Lambert, still somewhat dazed,
vaguely frightened himself now at the magnitude, the importance of what
he had done, "meseems that 'tis thine actions, friend, which will be
unpleasant to explain. Thou didst not put on these play-actor's robes
for a good purpose, I'll warrant! ... I cannot guess what is thy game,
but methinks her young ladyship would wish to know something of its
rules ... or mayhap, my brother Richard who is no friend of thine,
forsooth."

Gradually his voice had become steadier, his manner more assured. A
glimmer of light on the Squire's strange doings had begun to penetrate
his simple, dull brain. Vaguely he guessed the purport of the disguise
and of the lies, and the mention of Lady Sue's name was not an arrow
shot thoughtlessly into the air. At the same time he had not perceived
the slightest quiver of fear or even of anxiety on Sir Marmaduke's face.

The latter had in the meanwhile put his crumpled toilet in order and now
turned with an urbane smile to his glowering antagonist.

"I will not deny, kind master," he said pleasantly, "that you might
cause me a vast amount of unpleasantness just now ... although of a
truth, I do not perceive that you would benefit yourself overmuch
thereby. On the contrary, you would vastly lose. Your worthy aunt,
Mistress Lambert, would lose a pleasant home, and you would never know
what you and your brother Richard have vainly striven to find out these
past ten years."

"What may that be, pray?" queried the smith sullenly.

"Who you both are," rejoined Sir Marmadu