. Nor will you be called upon to say anything in an English
court."

"There you are at fault, my lord," she answered, her voice very level.
"I shall be called upon to say something when I impeach you all for
murder upon the high seas, as impeach you I shall if you persist in your
intent."

"Rosamund!" cried Oliver in his sudden amazement--and it was a cry of
joy and exultation.

She looked at him, and smiled--a smile full of courage and friendliness
and something more, a smile for which he considered that his impending
hanging was but a little price to pay. Then she turned again to that
court, into which her words had flung a sudden consternation.

"Since he disdains to deny the accusation, I must deny it for him," she
informed them. "He did not abduct me, sirs, as is alleged. I love Oliver
Tressilian. I am of full age and mistress of my actions, and I went
willingly with him to Algiers where I became his wife."

Had she flung a bomb amongst them she could hardly have made a greater
disorder of their wits. They sat back, and stared at her with blank
faces, muttering incoherencies.

"His... his wife?" babbled Lord Henry. "You became his...."

And then Sir John cut in fiercely. "A lie! A lie to save that foul
villain's neck!"

Rosamund leaned towards him, and her smile was almost a sneer. "Your
wits were ever sluggish, Sir John," she said. "Else you would not need
reminding that I could have no object in lying to save him if he had
done me the wrong that is imputed to him." Then she looked at the
others. "I think, sirs, that in this matter my word will outweigh Sir
John's or any man's in any court of justice."

"Faith, that's true enough!" ejaculated the bewildered Lord Henry. "A
moment, Killigrew!" And again he stilled the impetuous Sir John. He
looked at Sir Oliver, who in truth was very far from being the least
bewildered in that company. "What do you say to that, sir?" he asked.

"To that?" echoed the almost speechless corsair. "What is there left to
say?" he evaded.

"'Tis all false," cried Sir John again. "We were witnesses of the
event--you and I, Harry--and we saw...."

"You saw," Rosamund interrupted. "But you did not know what had been
concerted."

For a moment that silenced them again. They were as men who stand upon
crumbling ground, whose every effort to win to a safer footing but
occasioned a fresh slide of soil. Then Sir John sneered, and made his
riposte.

"No doubt she will be prepared