was slightly cleft, the shape of his face
a delicate oval, framed now in the waving masses of his brown wig. Some
likeness to his late Majesty was also discernible, in spite of the wart,
out of which his uncle James made so much capital.

There was a slight flush on his cheeks, an added lustre in his eye, as
he took Wilding's hand and shook it heartily before Wilding had time to
kiss His Grace's.

"You are late," he said, but there was no reproach in his voice. "We had
looked to find you here when we came ashore. You had my letter?"

"I had not, Your Grace," answered Wilding, very grave. "It was stolen."

"Stolen?" cried the Duke, and behind him Grey pressed forward, whilst
even Ferguson paused in his writing to raise his piercing eyes and
listen.

"It is no matter," Wilding reassured him. "Although stolen, it has but
gone to Whitehall to-day, when it can add little to the news that is
already on its way there."

The Duke laughed softly, with a flash of white teeth, and looked past
Wilding at Trenchard. Some of the light faded out of his eyes. "They
told me Mr. Trenchard..." he began, when Wilding, half turning to his
friend, explained.

"This is Mr. Nicholas Trenchard--John Trenchard's cousin.

"I bid you welcome, sir," said the Duke, very agreeably, "and I trust
your cousin follows you."

"Alas," said Trenchard, "my cousin is in France," and in a few brief
words he related the matter of John Trenchard's home-coming on his
acquittal and the trouble there had been connected with it.

The Duke received the news in silence. He had expected good support from
old Speke's son-in-law. Indeed, there was a promise that when he came,
John Trenchard would bring fifteen hundred men from Taunton. He took a
turn in the room deep in thought, and there was a pause until Ferguson,
rubbing his great Roman nose, asked suddenly had Mr. Wilding seen the
Declaration. Mr. Wilding had not, and thereupon the plotting parson, who
was proud of his composition, would have read it to him there and then,
but that Grey sourly told him the matter would keep, and that they had
other things to discuss with Mr. Wilding.

This the Duke himself confirmed, stating that there were matters on
which he would be glad to have their opinion.

He invited the newcomers to draw chairs to the table; glasses were
called for, and a couple of fresh bottles of Canary went round the
board. The talk was desultory for a few moments, whilst Wilding and
Trench