rily. "Let me deal with him. In spite of your
affected confidence, my lord, you cannot be blind to the position in
which you stand. And though you yourself personally may be careless of
the consequences of a refusal of our demands, you cannot, I conceive, be
equally indifferent to the fate of the Countess of Exeter, which that
refusal will decide."

"I am so little indifferent to the safety of the Countess, Madam, that I
cannot sufficiently rejoice that she is out of the reach of your
malice."

"How, my lord!" exclaimed Lady Lake, astounded at his assurance. "Out of
reach, when she is here! You cannot mean," she added, with an
undefinable expression of satisfaction, "that she is dead?"

"Dead!" ejaculated Lady Roos; "the Countess dead! I thought she was only
in a swoon."

"What riddle is it you would have us read, my lord?" demanded Lady Lake.

"No riddle whatever, Madam," replied Lord Roos. "I only mean to assert
that the person you behold upon that couch is not the Countess of
Exeter."

"Not the Countess!" exclaimed Lady Roos. "Oh, if this were possible!
But no, no! I cannot be deceived."

"I now see the reason why her face has been covered with a 'kerchief,"
cried Lady Lake. "But it shall not save her from our scrutiny."

So saying, she advanced towards the couch, with the intention of
removing the covering, when Lord Roos barred her approach.

"Not a step nearer, Madam," he cried, in a peremptory tone. "I will not
allow you to gratify your curiosity further. You and Lady Roos may make
the most of what you have seen; and proclaim abroad any tale your
imaginations may devise forth. You will only render yourselves
ridiculous, and encounter derision in lieu of sympathy. No one will
credit your assertions, because I shall be able to prove that, at this
moment, Lady Exeter is in a different part of the palace."

"This bold falsehood will not serve your turn, my lord. Whoever she may
be, the person on that couch shall be seized, and we shall then
ascertain the truth."

And she would have moved towards the door, if Lord Roos had not caught
hold of her arm, while at the same time he drew his sword. Thinking from
his fierce looks and menacing gestures that her mother might be
sacrificed to his fury, Lady Roos fell on her knees before him,
imploring pity; and she continued in this supplicating posture till Lady
Lake angrily bade her rise.

"You have come here without my permission, Madam," Lord Roos cried
furio