uined, you--"

He had just sense enough to stop there.

The Earl, gripping his staff behind his back, and with his head a little
bent, was looking keenly at the lad from under his shaggy gray brows.
"Well," said he, as Myles stopped, "thou hast gone too far now to draw
back. Say thy say to the end. Why wouldst thou rather be in thy father's
stead than in mine?"

Myles did not answer.

"Thou shalt finish thy speech, or else show thyself a coward. Though thy
father is ruined, thou didst say I am--what?"

Myles keyed himself up to the effort, and then blurted out, "Thou art
attainted with shame."

A long breathless silence followed.

"Myles Falworth," said the Earl at last (and even in the whirling of his
wits Myles wondered that he had the name so pat)--"Myles Falworth, of
all the bold, mad, hare-brained fools, thou art the most foolish. How
dost thou dare say such words to me? Dost thou not know that thou makest
thy coming punishment ten times more bitter by such a speech?"

"Aye!" cried Myles, desperately; "but what else could I do? An I did not
say the words, thou callest me coward, and coward I am not."

"By 'r Lady!" said the Earl, "I do believe thee. Thou art a bold,
impudent varlet as ever lived--to beard me so, forsooth! Hark'ee; thou
sayst I think naught of mine old comrade. I will show thee that thou
dost belie me. I will suffer what thou hast said to me for his sake, and
for his sake will forgive thee thy coming hither--which I would not do
in another case to any other man. Now get thee gone straightway, and
come hither no more. Yonder is the postern-gate; mayhap thou knowest the
way. But stay! How camest thou hither?"

Myles told him of the spikes he had driven in the wall, and the Earl
listened, stroking his beard. When the lad had ended, he fixed a sharp
look upon him. "But thou drove not those spikes alone," said he; "who
helped thee do it?"

"That I may not tell," said Myles, firmly.

"So be it," said the Earl. "I will not ask thee to tell his name. Now
get thee gone! And as for those spikes, thou mayst e'en knock them out
of the wall, sin thou drave them in. Play no more pranks an thou wouldst
keep thy skin whole. And now go, I say!"

Myles needed no further bidding, but turned and left the Earl without
another word. As he went out the postern-gate he looked over his
shoulder, and saw the tall figure, in its long fur-trimmed gown, still
standing in the middle of the path, looking after him