cavalier
he was about to say, but he checked himself.

"Sit down," said Patience, taking a chair,--"nay, no ceremony; I cannot
treat as an inferior one to whom I owe such a debt of gratitude."

Edward smiled as he took his seat.

"My father is as grateful to you as I am--I'm sure that he is; for I
heard him when at prayer call down blessings on your head. What can he
do for you? I begged Oswald Partridge to bring you here, that I might
find out. Oh, sir, do pray let me know how we can show our gratitude by
something more than words."

"You have shown it already, Mistress Patience," replied Edward; "have
you not honoured a poor forester with your hand in friendship, and even
admitted him to sit down before you?"

"He who has preserved my life at the risk of his own becomes to me as a
brother--at least I feel as a sister towards him: a debt is still a
debt, whether indebted to a king or to a--"

"Forester, Mistress Patience, that is the real word that you should not
have hesitated to have used: do you imagine that I am ashamed of my
calling?"

"To tell you candidly the truth, then," replied Patience, "I cannot
believe that you are what you profess to be. I mean to say, that
although a forester now, you were never brought up as such. My father
has an opinion allied to mine."

"I thank you both for your good opinion of me, but I fear that I cannot
raise myself above the condition of a forester; nay, from your father's
coming down here, and the new regulations, I have every chance of
sinking down to the lower grade of a deer-stealer and poacher; indeed,
had it not been that I had my gun with me, I should have been seized as
such this very day as I came over."

"But you were not shooting the deer, were you, sir?" inquired Patience.

"No, I was not; nor have I killed any since last I saw you."

"I am glad that I can say that to my father," replied Patience; "it will
much please him. He said to me that he thought you capable of much
higher employment than any that could be offered here, and only wished
to know what you would accept. He has interest--great interest--
although just now at variance with the rulers of this country, on
account of the--"

"Murder of the king, you would or you should have said, Mistress
Patience: I have heard how much he was opposed to that foul deed, and I
honour him for it."

"How kind, how truly kind you are to say so!" said Patience, the tears
starting in her eyes; "what pl