This was something that, perhaps,
she scarcely realized just then; but she was to realize it soon.

Feversham was speaking again, asking Blake a fresh question. "And who
betray you to t'is rogue?"

"To Westmacott?" cried Blake. "He was in the plot with me. He was left
to guard the rear, to see that we were not taken by surprise, and he
deserted his post. Had he not done that, there had been no disaster, in
spite of Mr. Wilding's intervention."

Feversham's brow was dark, his eyes glittered as they rested on the
traitor.

"T'at true, sare?" he asked him.

"Not quite," put in Mr. Wilding. "Mr. Westmacott, I think, was
constrained away. He did not intend..."

"Tais-toi!" blazed Feversham. "Did I interrogate you? It is for Mistaire
Westercott to answer." He set a hand on the table and leaned forward
towards Wilding, his face very malign. "You shall to answer for
yourself, Mistaire Wildin'; I promise you you shall to answer for
yourself." He turned again to Richard. "Ek, bien?" he snapped. "Will you
speak?"

Richard came forward a step; he was certainly nervous, and certainly
pale; but neither as pale nor as nervous as from our knowledge of
Richard we might have looked to see him at that moment.

"It is in a measure true," he said. "But what Mr. Wilding has said is
more exact. I was induced away. I did not dream any could know of the
plan, or that my absence could cause this catastrophe."

"So you went, eh, vaurien? You t'ought t'at be to do your duty, eh? And
it was you who tole your sistaire?"

"I may have told her, but not before she had the tale already from
Blake."

Feversham sneered and shrugged. "Natural you will not speak true. A
traitor I 'ave observe' is always liar."

Richard drew himself up; he seemed invested almost with a new dignity.
"Your lordship is pleased to account me a traitor?" he inquired.

"A dam' traitor," said his lordship, and at that moment the door opened,
and a sergeant, with six men following him, stood at the salute upon the
threshold. "A la bonne heure!" his lordship hailed them. "Sergean', you
will arrest t'is rogue and t'is lady,"--he waved his hand from Richard
to Ruth--"and you will take t'em to lock..up."

The sergeant advanced towards Richard, who drew a step away from him.
Ruth rose to her feet in agitation. Mr. Wilding interposed himself
between her and the guard, his hand upon his sword.

"My lord," he cried, "do they teach no better courtesy in France?"

Fever