ing, then leaned back against the table.
"They hunt in couples," I said. "There will be no third one."

He had his foot upon them before they had done spinning. The next moment
they had kissed the two pieces already in his possession, and he had
transferred all four to his pocket. I held out my hand for the paper,
and he gave it to me grudgingly, with a spiteful slowness of movement.
He would have stayed beside me as I read it, but I sternly bade him keep
his distance; then kneeling before the fire to get the light, I opened
the paper. It was written upon in a delicate, woman's hand, and it ran
thus:--

An you hold me dear, come to me at once. Come without tarrying to the
deserted hut on the neck of land, nearest to the forest. As you love me,
as you are my knight, keep this tryst.

In distress and peril, THY WIFE.

Folded with it was a line in the commander's hand and with his
signature: "The bearer may pass without the palisade at his pleasure."

I read the first paper again, refolded it, and rose to my feet. "Who
brought this, sirrah?" I demanded.

His answer was glib enough: "One of the governor's servants. He said as
how there was no harm in the letter, and the gold was good."

"When was this?"

"Just now. No, I did n't know the man."

I saw no way to discover whether or not he lied. Drawing out another
gold piece, I laid it upon the table. He eyed it greedily, edging nearer
and nearer.

"For leaving this door unlocked," I said.

His eyes narrowed and he moistened his lips, shifting from one foot to
the other.

I put down a second piece. "For opening the outer door," I said.

He wet his lips again, made an inarticulate sound in his throat,
and finally broke out with, "The commander will nail my ears to the
pillory."

"You can lock the doors after me, and know as little as you choose in
the morning. No gain without some risk."

"That's so," he agreed, and made a clutch at the gold.

I swept it out of his reach. "First earn it," I said dryly. "Look at the
foot of the pillory an hour from now and you'll find it. I'll not pay
you this side of the doors."

He bit his lips and studied the floor. "You're a gentleman," he growled
at last. "I suppose I can trust ye."

"I suppose you can."

Taking up his lantern he turned toward the door. "It 's growing late,"
he said, with a most uncouth attempt to feign a guileless drowsiness.
"I'll to bed, captain, when I've locked up. Good-night to ye!"

He was