n the feeling that the trouble was
at an end, though there was a twitching now and then at the corners of
her eyes suggesting that she was not quite at ease.

The fresh dishes were placed upon the table as soon as the soup was
removed, and soon after the hostess herself bore in a couple of
rush-covered flasks of wine.

"Burgundy--Malvoisey," she said, indicating each in turn.

"The Burgundy," said the King, and as the glasses were filled, and they
were once more quite alone, he made as if to tear up the paper, but
altering his mind folded it quickly, and thrust it in the pouch he
carried at his belt.

"Come, gentlemen," he said: "that scrap of paper shall not spoil a
pleasant meal. It is a mere molehill in our path. Here's success to
our expedition.--Hah! better vine than my own."

A few minutes later the hostess returned, and smiled once more upon
finding that her guests were hard at work evidently in the full
enjoyment of their meal.

"Ah, madam!" cried the King, raising his glass and drinking again. "You
keep good wine. I would not have wished for better; but tell me, what
other guests have you in the house?"

"None, my lord," said the woman frankly. "There have been some of the
country people at the market, but they have gone. There was an ordinary
traveller too, earlier in the day. He came from somewhere in the south,
I believe, but he has gone. You are the only guests I have, and I
humbly hope that the meats are to your liking."

"Excellent, madam, excellent," said the King, looking at her fixedly.
"Then we are quite alone?"

The woman met his eye without wincing, and bowed gravely.

"Yes, my lord; quite alone."

"Then we will have no one here while we stay, madam. I like to be
undisturbed. Understand me, please. I take the whole place, and you
can charge me what you please."

The woman made a grave courtesy, and retired to see to the next course
she had prepared, wiping her brow as soon as she was outside.

"Some great French noble," she muttered, "travelling to London, to the
Court perhaps. I wonder who he is. Yes," she said to herself
excitedly, "and I wonder too who dared to enter that next room. It must
have been that evil-looking traveller, that starveling. I believe he
was a thief. It could not have been--Oh no, I know them all by sight."

CHAPTER TEN.

HOW LEONI LOST HIS EYE.

The meal was ended, and the King in the best of tempers, in that
condition of mind which a