rd
and backward to the sea, which still lay between him and the rest and
peace for which he longed.

It was horrible, he felt, that the King should have been injured in this
ill-starred expedition; but now it was to be at an end, and as the lad
thought this in the dewy freshness and cool air of the hour before
sunrise, he began to enjoy the beauty of the pleasant woodland country
through which their horses paced. But he looked back from time to time,
to see Francis more upright in his saddle, with Leoni riding knee to
knee, and Saint Simon grave and silent fifty yards behind.

Still they passed nothing but some foot-track or rugged lane--nothing in
the way of a high-road--and the lad was about to draw rein at last to
seek counsel as to their further proceedings, when at a turn of the lane
he caught sight of a spreading clump of trees and what seemed to be a
village green, about which clustered a few humble cottages, and an inn
whose sign projected from a tree trunk that overhung the road.

Denis checked his horse now and waited till the others closed up.

"Shall I see if the people are awake," said the lad, "and ask them of
our way?"

"No," replied Leoni coldly. "Ask nothing; but go and summon the people.
Ah, there is some one stirring there! Look--coming out from the door.
Ride on and tell him we want rest and refreshment--a chamber, too, for a
gentleman who has had a fall from his horse. Denis, boy, we are in a
perilous strait. I dare not let the King go further until he has had
some hours of rest and sleep."

CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT.

THE KING'S HORSES AND MEN.

The landlord of the little inn welcomed his visitors eagerly, for he had
never before had guests of such degree, and when not observed he gazed
open-eyed at their rich habiliments, for there had been no time to don
their travelling garments. Everything had been made to give way to the
opportune moment for securing the jewel and making their escape.

All the host studied was about how many gold pieces he would be able to
charge this noble gentleman who had had so unfortunate an accident
through his horse stumbling upon the ill-kept road, while he and his
wife did everything they could in their attentions, in the hope that
their visitors might prolong their stay.

Leoni bit his nails to the quick as he paced up and down, watching the
road from the King's humble chamber, expecting every minute to see a
mounted guard coming to arrest them, and