, hang me tomorrow, with my letter to Robert round my neck,
but let the boy go."

'"Be still," said De Aquila. "I think for England."

'So we waited what our Lord of Pevensey should devise; and the sweat ran
down Fulke's forehead.

'At last said De Aquila: "I am too old to judge, or to trust any man. I
do not covet thy lands, as thou hast coveted mine; and whether thou art
any better or any worse than any other black Angevin thief, it is for
thy King to find out. Therefore, go back to thy King, Fulke."

'"And thou wilt say nothing of what has passed?" said Fulke.

'"Why should I? Thy son will stay with me. If the King calls me again to
leave Pevensey, which I must guard against England's enemies; if the
King sends his men against me for a traitor; or if I hear that the King
in his bed thinks any evil of me or my two knights, thy son will be
hanged from out this window, Fulke."'

'But it hadn't anything to do with his son,' cried Una, startled.

'How could we have hanged Fulke?' said Sir Richard. 'We needed him to
make our peace with the King. He would have betrayed half England for
the boy's sake. Of that we were sure.'

'I don't understand,' said Una. 'But I think it was simply awful.'

'So did not Fulke. He was well pleased.'

'What? Because his son was going to be killed?'

'Nay. Because De Aquila had shown him how he might save the boy's life
and his own lands and honours. "I will do it," he said. "I swear I will
do it. I will tell the King thou art no traitor, but the most excellent,
valiant, and perfect of us all. Yes, I will save thee."

'De Aquila looked still into the bottom of the cup, rolling the
wine-dregs to and fro.

'"Ay," he said. "If I had a son, I would, I think, save him. But do not
by any means tell me how thou wilt go about it."

'"Nay, nay," said Fulke, nodding his bald head wisely. "That is my
secret. But rest at ease, De Aquila, no hair of thy head nor rood of thy
land shall be forfeited," and he smiled like one planning great good
deeds.

'"And henceforward," said De Aquila, "I counsel thee to serve one
master--not two."

'"What?" said Fulke. "Can I work no more honest trading between the two
sides these troublous times?"

'"Serve Robert or the King--England or Normandy," said De Aquila. "I
care not which it is, but make thy choice here and now."

'"The King, then," said Fulke, "for I see he is better served than
Robert. Shall I swear it?"

'"No need," said De Aquila, and