ined by his Cheshire friends, so
that it seemed Sir Rowland had not matured his plan a day too soon.
He got to horse, and contriving to win out of Bridgwater, rode off to
Somerton to concert with Lord Feversham concerning the men he would need
for his undertaking.

That night Richard made free talk of the undertaking to Diana and to
Ruth, loving, as does the pusillanimous, to show himself engaged in
daring enterprises. Emulating his friend Sir Rowland, he held forth
with prolixity upon the great service he was to do the State, and Ruth,
listening to him, was proud of his zeal, the sincerity of which it never
entered her mind to doubt.

Diana listened, too, but without illusions concerning Master Richard,
and she kept her conclusions to herself.

During the afternoon of the morrow, which was Sunday, Sir Rowland
returned to Bridgwater, his mission to Feversham entirely successful,
and all preparations made. He completed his arrangements, and towards
eight o'clock that night the twenty men sent by Feversham--they had
slipped singly into the town--began to muster in the orchard at the back
of Mr. Newlington's house.

It was just about that same hour that Mr. Wilding, saddle-worn and
dust-clogged in every pore, rode into Bridgwater, and made his way to
the sign of The Ship in the High Street, overlooking the Cross where
Trenchard was lodged. His friend was absent--possibly gone with his men
to the sermon Ferguson was preaching to the army in the Castle Fields.
Having put up his horse, Mr. Wilding, all dusty as he was, repaired
straight to the Castle to report himself to Monmouth.

He was informed that His Majesty was in council. Nevertheless, urging
that his news was of importance, he begged to be instantly announced.
After a pause, he was ushered into a lofty, roomy chamber where, in
the fading daylight, King Monmouth sat in council with Grey and Wade,
Matthews, Speke, Ferguson, and others. At the foot of the table stood a
sturdy country-fellow, unknown to Wilding. It was Godfrey, the spy, who
was to act as their guide across Sedgemoor that night; for the matter
that was engaging them just then was the completion of their plans
for the attack that was to be made that very night upon Feversham's
unprepared camp--a matter which had been resolved during the last few
hours as an alternative preferable to the retreat towards Gloucester
that had at first been intended.

Wilding was shocked at the change that had been wroug