what he wanted, he
threw off disguise, and, as I understand, after an intrigue with another
man's wife, had a fierce fight with the injured husband, so deadly that
both lost their lives in the fray.'

'Some said this Gifford, fearing disgrace, had left the country, others
that he died. Mistress Gifford must believe the last to be true or she
would not, methinks, have clothed herself in the weeds of widowhood.'

'But now, my good Humphrey, you would fain have leave to prosecute your
inquiries. God speed you in them, and may they be successful. Mistress
Gifford's reference to Douay makes me think she may have some notion, to
connect this centre of the Papists with the disappearance of her boy. At
any rate, see her, and, if it is advisable for you to repair to Douay, go,
but beware you are not entrapped by any of those Jesuits' snares.'

'I am loth to leave you, sir,' Humphrey said, 'yet I feel bound to do what
in me lies to rescue this boy. A goodly child he is, full of spirit, and,
though wild at times as a young colt, obedient to his mother. Alack!'
Humphrey continued, 'his poor bereft mother. Would to God I knew how to
comfort her.'

It was then arranged that Humphrey should set off, without loss of time,
for Penshurst, stopping at Tunbridge on the road to institute inquiries
there.

George Ratcliffe was also returning home with several horses which had been
over-strained in the tourney of the day before, and both brothers left
London together, with Ned on the baggage horse with the serving-man, before
noon, George scarcely less heavy-hearted than Humphrey, and too much
absorbed in his own troubles to be alive to his brother's. What was the
loss of little Ambrose when compared with the utter hopelessness he felt
about Lucy.

George rode moodily by his brother's side, scarcely heeding what he saw,
and torturing himself with the careless indifference with which Lucy had
treated him.

He had asked her to come to his mother's lodgings, and she had refused,
saying,--

'You have Mistress Dorothy here, you cannot want me. Besides, I am under
orders, and Crawley must be obeyed.'

Then, in the intervals of the tournament, George had seen the eyes of
several gallants directed towards Lady Pembroke's booth, and heard one man
say,--

'There is a pretty maiden in the Countess's following. I lay a wager I will
get a smile from her.'

'Not you,' was the reply; 'she has eyes for no one but Mr Sidney. She
follows him wit