the rood."

"Nay, Dick," said Joanna, "what matters it? Here we are together once
again."

He looked at her, and there she was--John Matcham, as of yore, in hose
and doublet. But now he knew her; now, even in that ungainly dress, she
smiled upon him, bright with love; and his heart was transported with
joy.

"Sweetheart," he said, "if ye forgive this blunderer, what care I? Make
we direct for Holywood; there lieth your good guardian and my better
friend, Lord Foxham. There shall we be wed; and whether poor or wealthy,
famous or unknown, what matters it? This day, dear love, I won my spurs;
I was commended by great men for my valour; I thought myself the
goodliest man of war in all broad England. Then, first, I fell out of my
favour with the great; and now have I been well thrashed, and clean lost
my soldiers. There was a downfall for conceit! But, dear, I care
not--dear, if ye still love me and will wed, I would have my knighthood
done away, and mind it not a jot."

"My Dick!" she cried. "And did they knight you?"

"Ay, dear, ye are my lady now," he answered, fondly; "or ye shall, ere
noon to-morrow--will ye not?"

"That will I, Dick, with a glad heart," she answered.

"Ay, sir? Methought ye were to be a monk!" said a voice in their ears.

"Alicia!" cried Joanna.

"Even so," replied the young lady, coming forward. "Alicia, whom ye left
for dead, and whom your lion-driver found, and brought to life again,
and, by my sooth, made love to, if ye want to know!"

"I'll not believe it," cried Joanna. "Dick!"

"Dick!" mimicked Alicia. "Dick, indeed! Ay, fair sir, and ye desert poor
damsels in distress," she continued, turning to the young knight. "Ye
leave them planted behind oaks. But they say true--the age of chivalry
is dead."

"Madam," cried Dick, in despair, "upon my soul I had forgotten you
outright. Madam, ye must try to pardon me. Ye see, I had new found
Joanna!"

"I did not suppose that ye had done it o' purpose," she retorted. "But I
will be cruelly avenged. I will tell a secret to my Lady Shelton--she
that is to be," she added, curtseying. "Joanna," she continued, "I
believe, upon my soul, your sweetheart is a bold fellow in a fight, but
he is, let me tell you plainly, the softest-hearted simpleton in
England. Go to--ye may do your pleasure with him! And now, fool
children, first kiss me, either one of you, for luck and kindness; and
then kiss each other just one minute by the glass, and not one seco