ight reach you in time to give warning. When the guard left Haddon I
realized the evil that would come upon you by reason of my base betrayal."
Here she broke down and for a moment could not proceed in the narrative.
She soon recovered and continued: "Then I mounted Dolcy, and tried to
reach here by way of the long road. Poor Dolcy seemed to understand my
trouble and my despair, and she brought me with all the speed that a horse
could make; but the road was too long and too rough; and she failed, and I
failed. Would that I could have died in her place. She gave her life in
trying to remedy my fault."

Dorothy again began to weep, and John tenderly whispered:--

"All will yet come right" Then he kissed her before us all, and handed her
to me saying, "Care for her, I pray you, sir."

John spoke a few words to Sir William, and in a moment they both went back
to the castle.

In a short time the gates were opened, and the Rutland coach drawn by four
horses emerged from the castle grounds. Sir William then directed Mary and
Dorothy to enter the coach and requested me to ride with them to Haddon
Hall.

The yeoman guards were in marching order, and I took my seat in the coach.
The fates surely were in a humorous mood when they threw Dorothy, Queen
Mary, and myself together. Pause for a moment and consider the situation.
You know all the facts and you can analyze it as well as I. I could not
help laughing at the fantastic trick of destiny.

Soon after I entered the coach Sir William gave the word, and the yeomen
with Lord Rutland and John moved forward on the road to Haddon.

The coach at once followed the guard and a score of yeomen followed us.

Queen Mary occupied the back seat of the coach, and Dorothy and I sat upon
the front seat facing her.

Dorothy was exhausted, and her head lay upon my shoulder. Now and again
she would softly moan and sob, but she said nothing. After a few minutes
of silence Queen Mary spoke:--

"Why did you betray me, you miserable wretch? Why did you betray me?"

Dorothy did not answer. Mary continued:--

"Have I ever injured you in any manner? Have I ever harmed you by thought,
word, or deed?"

Dorothy's only answer was a sob.

"Perhaps you are a canting fanatic, and it may be that you hate me for the
sake of that which you call the love of God?"

"No, no, madam," I said, "that was not the reason."

"Do you know the reason, Malcolm?" asked Mary, addressing me for the first
time. M