young gentleman.

"Mr. Peyton had other occupation," said the Governor dryly. "And I fear
that his is too cavalier a wit, and that his sonnets and madrigals savor
too much of loyalty to the Anointed of the Lord and to His Church to
have proved acceptable to the worshipful company with whom I have been
engaged. I have to congratulate his Majesty's Surveyor-General on the
possession of such a library as, I dare swear, is to be found in no
other house in this, his Majesty's _loyal_ dominion of Virginia."

Carrington glanced towards the cupboard, and bit his lip.

"I am pleased," he said stiffly, "that your Excellency hath found
wherewithal to pass an idle hour."

"It is, indeed, a choice collection," said the Governor, with a smooth
tongue, but with an angry light in his eyes. "May I ask by whom it was
chosen; who it was that so carefully culled nightshade and poison oak?"

"_I_ choose my own reading," said Carrington haughtily. "And I see not
why Sir William Berkeley should concern himself--"

"This passes!" exclaimed the Governor, giving rein to his fury and
striking his hand against the table. "It doth concern me much, Major
Carrington, both as a true man, and as the Governor of this Colony, the
representative of his blessed Majesty, King Charles the Second, may all
whose enemies, private and open, be confounded! that a gentleman who
holds a high office in this Colony should have in his possession--ay!
and read, too, for 'tis a well-thumbed copy--that foul emanation from a
fouler mind, that malicious, outrageous, damnable, proscribed book,
called 'Eikonoklastes!'"

"If Sir William Berkeley doubts my loyalty--" began Carrington fiercely.

"Major Carrington, you are too popular a man!" broke in the Governor as
fiercely. "When, upon that black day, ten years ago, the usurper's
frigates entered the Chesapeake, and taking us unprepared, compelled
(God forgive me!) my submission, who but Miles Carrington welcomed and
entertained the four commissioners (commissioners from a Roundhead
Parliament to a King's Governor!)? Who but Miles Carrington was hand in
glove with the shopkeeper Bennett and the renegade Matthews? Oh! they
used their power mildly, I deny it not! They were gracious and
long-suffering; they left to the loyal gentlemen, their sometime
friends, life and lands; they contented themselves with banishing a
loyal Governor to his own manor-house, and not, as they might have done,
to the wilderness, to perish amo