l Danvers has run
away.

"Danvers gone?" cried Ferguson, voicing the consternation of all.

Wilding shrugged and smiled; Grey's eye was offensively upon him. He
elected to answer the challenge of that glance. "He has followed
the illustrious example set him by other of Your Majesty's devoted
followers," said Wilding.

Grey rose suddenly. This was too much. "I'll not endure it from this
knave!" he cried, appealing to Monmouth.

Monmouth wearily waved him to a seat; but Grey disregarded the command.

"What have I said that should touch your lordship?" asked Wilding, and,
smiling sardonically, he looked into Grey's eyes.

"It is not what you have said. It is what you have inferred."

"And to call me knave!" said Wilding in a mocking horror.

The repression of his anger lent him a rare bitterness, and an almost
devilishly subtle manner of expressing wordlessly what was passing in
his mind. There was not one present but gathered from his utterance of
those five words that he did not hold Grey worthy the honour of
being called to account for that offensive epithet. He made just an
exclamatory protest, such as he might have made had a woman applied the
term to him.

Grey turned from him slowly to Monmouth. "It might be well," said he,
in his turn controlling himself at last, "to place Mr. Wilding under
arrest."

Mr. Wilding's manner quickened on the instant from passive to active
anger.

"Upon what charge, sir?" he demanded sharply. In truth it was the
only thing wanting that, after all that he had undergone, he should be
arrested. His eyes were upon the Duke's melancholy face, and his anger
was such that in that moment he vowed that if Monmouth acted upon this
suggestion of Grey's he should not have so much as the consolation of
Sunderland's letter.

"You have been wanting in respect to us, sir," the Duke answered him.
He seemed able to do little more than repeat himself. "You return from
London empty-handed, your task unaccomplished, and instead of a becoming
contrition, you hector it here before us in this manner." He shook his
head. "We are not pleased with you, Mr. Wilding." "But, Your Grace,"
exclaimed Wilding, "is it my fault that your London agents had failed to
organize the rising? That rising should have taken place, and it would
have taken place had Your Majesty been more ably represented there."

"You were there, Mr. Wilding," said Grey with heavy sarcasm.

"Would it no' be better to leave Mr. Wil