ently, "I can't fence a bit! But tell me,
doctor; is there any--no, absurd--stuff! I don't believe in magic. I'd
give anything, though, if you would teach me how to do that."

"You must learn to fence first, my boy, and work hard. I did not learn
to do that in one lesson. Now attack again, and keep a good grip of
your hilt. There, come on."

"No, not now, sir," said the boy huskily. "This has made me hot and
angry, and one ought to be cool when handling pointed weapons. I
shouldn't like to hurt you, sir."

"Neither should I, my lad," said the doctor calmly; "but you need not
fear doing that. Come on, I tell you. There, I'm not speaking
boastingly, Denis, my lad. I am no master of fence, but I can do
precisely what I please with your weapon, disarm you at every encounter,
or turn your point whichever way I choose. There: you see." For
nettled by his words, and in a futile effort to prove that they were
untrue, the lad attacked sharply once again, made about a dozen passes,
to find himself perfectly helpless in his adversary's hands, and at last
stopped short, lowered his point to the floor, and stood with both hands
resting on the hilt.

"You are right, sir," he said. "It's horrible. I thought I could; but
I can't fence a bit."

At that moment there was a sharp click of the outer door, and the doctor
hurriedly began to sheathe his rapier, but not quickly enough for his
action to be unseen. The arras was thrown aside, and a tall handsome
young cavalier strode into the ante-chamber and stopped short in
astonishment.

"Words and wonder!" he cried. "A duel? or young Denis defending his
Majesty from an attempted assassination on the part of Master Leoni with
a sword instead of physic?"

"Does it ever occur to you, Saint Simon, that your tongue runs at times
somewhat too fast?" said the doctor coldly.

"Oh yes, often," was the laughing reply; "but it's a habit it has. What
have I interrupted, though?"

"Master Leoni was giving me a fencing lesson, Saint Simon," cried the
lad eagerly.

"Then you are the luckiest fellow at Court," cried the new arrival.
"Why was I not here? There, pray go on, and let me stand by and learn."

CHAPTER THREE.

HIS MAJESTY.

Denis glanced at the doctor, grasping his hilt tightly the while, and
ready to spring into position for a fresh encounter; but at the same
moment he noted the change which came over his adversary, who from being
tense, erect and active, s