rce nor
strength than I have. He is not a man. He is no more attractive than a
woman. He wanted to kiss me. He begged me to give him but one. It is but a
poor kiss which a man gets by begging. Think you I would give him one? Had
he but touched my lips, think you I would ever allow John to soil himself
again by kissing them? Fear not, Malcolm. Fear not for John nor for me.
No man will ever receive from me a favor, the granting of which would make
me unfit to be John's--John's wife. I have paid too dearly for him to
throw him away for a penny whistle that I do not want." Then she grew
earnest, with a touch of anger: "Leicester! What reason, suppose you,
Malcolm, have I for treating him as I do? Think you I act from sheer
wantonness? If there were one little spot of that fault upon my soul, I
would tear myself from John, though I should die for it."

Her laughing mood had passed away, and I feared to say that I could see no
reason other than coquetry for her conduct, I feared the red-haired
tigress would scratch my eyes out.

"I have wanted to see you," she continued, "that I might tell you of my
plans and of the way they are working out, but now since you have spoken
to me in this manner, Sir Malcolm Francois de Lorraine Vernon, I shall
tell you nothing. You suspect me. Therefore, you shall wait with the rest
of the world to learn my purposes. You may tell John all you have seen and
heard. I care not how quickly you do it." Then with a sigh: "I pray God it
may be very soon. He will wish for no explanation, and he shall one day
have in me a rich reward for his faith."

"Do you trust him as he trusts you?" I asked, "and would you demand an
explanation were he to act toward Mary Stuart as you have acted toward
Leicester?"

"He could not act toward her as I did toward Lord Leicester," she said
thoughtfully. Then after a moment she laughingly continued: "John
can't--he can't hang his head and--droop his eyes and look."

"But if--" I began.

"I want no more of your hellish 'ifs,'" cried the girl in sudden fury. "If
John were to--to look at that Scottish mongrel as I looked at Leicester, I
would--I would kill the royal wanton. I would kill her if it cost my
life. Now, for God's sake, leave me. You see the state into which you
have wrought me." I left Madge with Dorothy and walked out upon Bowling
Green to ponder on the events that were passing before me.

From the time we learned that John had gone to fetch the Scottish q