ateful business; the King would not employ him again; he would live
at home now, and rule Overfield well: he and his father together. Ah!
and what if Beatrice consented to rule it with him! Surely now--He
turned and looked at his father as he thought of it, and their eyes met.

Chris leaned a little closer.

"Beatrice!" he said. "What if she--?"

The old man nodded tenderly, and his drawn eyes shone in his face.

"Oh! Chris--I was thinking that--"

Then Nicholas came out of his maze.

Ever since his entrance into the palace, except when he had flared out
at the King, he had moved and stood and sat in a solemn bewilderment.
The effect of the changed atmosphere had been to paralyse his simple and
sturdy faculties; and his face had grown unintelligent during the
process. More than once Chris had been seized with internal laughter, in
spite of the tragedy; the rustic squire was so strangely incongruous
with the situation. But he awoke now.

"God bless me!" he said wonderingly. "It is all over and done. God--"

Chris gave a short yelp of laughter.

"Dear Nick," he said, "yes. God bless you indeed! You spoke up well!"

"Did I do right, sir," said the other to Sir James, "I could not help
it. I--"

"Oh! Nick," said the old man, and leaned forward and put his hand on his
knee.

Nicholas preened himself as he sat there; he would tell Mary how he had
bearded his Majesty, and what a diplomatist was her husband.

"You did very well, sir," put in Mr. Herries ironically. "You terrified
his Grace, I think."

Chris glanced at the lawyer; but Nicholas took it all with the greatest
complacency; tilted his hilt a little forward, smoothed his doublet, and
sat smiling and well-pleased.

They reached the Stairs presently and put Mr. Herries ashore.

"I will be at your house to-morrow, sir," he said, "when you go to take
Mr. Ralph out of prison. The order will be there by the morning, I make
no doubt."

He bowed and smiled and moved off, a stiff figure deliberately picking
its way up the oozy steps to the crowded street overhead.

* * * * *

Beatrice's face was at the window as they came up the tide half-an-hour
later. Chris stood up in the wherry, when he saw it, and waved his cap
furiously, and the face disappeared.

She was at the landing stage before they reached it, a slender brilliant
figure in her hood and mantle, with her aunt beside her. Chris stood up
again and cried between hi