a reason that should sound
plausible.

"We inferred it from certain remarks that Mr. Wilding let fall in our
presence."

"Tell us the remarks, sir," the Duke insisted.

"Indeed, I do not call his precise words to mind, Your Grace. But they
were such that we suspicioned him."

"And you would have me believe that hearing words which awoke in you
such grave suspicions, you kept your suspicions and straightway forgot
the words. You're but an indifferent liar."

Trenchard, who was standing by the long table, leaned forward now.

"It might be well, an it please Your Grace," said he, "to waive the
point, and let us come to those matters which are of greater moment. Let
him tell Your Grace how he came by the letter."

"Aye," said Albemarle. "We do but waste time. Tell us, then, how came
the letter into your hands?"

"With Sir Rowland, here, I robbed the courier as he was riding from
Taunton to Bridgwater."

Albemarle laughed, and Sir Edward smiled. "You robbed him, eh?" said His
Grace. "Very well. But how did it happen that you knew he had the letter
upon him, or was it that you were playing the hightobymen, and that in
robbing him you hoped to find other matters?"

"Not so, sir," answered Richard. "I sought but the letter."

"And how knew you that he carried it? Did you learn that, too, from Mr.
Wilding's indiscretion?"

"Your Grace has said it."

"'Slife! What an impudent rogue have we here!" cried the angry Duke,
who conceived that Richard was purposely dealing in effrontery. "Mr.
Trenchard, I do think we are wasting time. Be so good as to confound
them both with the truth of this matter."

"That letter," said Trenchard, "was delivered to them at the Hare and
Hounds, here at Taunton, by a gentleman who put up at the inn, and was
there joined by Mr. Westmacott and Sir Rowland Blake. They opened
the conversation with certain cant phrases very clearly intended as
passwords. Thus: the prisoners said to the messenger, as they seated
themselves at the table he occupied, 'You have the air, sir, of being
from overseas,' to which the courier answered, 'Indeed, yes. I am from
Holland. 'From the land of Orange,' says one of the prisoners. 'Aye, and
other things,' replies the messenger. 'There is a fair wind blowing,' he
adds; to which one of the prisoners, I believe it was Sir Rowland, makes
answer, 'Mayit prosper the Protestant Duke and blow Popery to hell.'
Thereupon the landlord caught some mention of a letter, bu