d, what the letter bore, which thou didst carry, and what it would
bring on this peaceful land?"

Antony looked a little startled when he heard of the burning of the
kennel, but he averred that Don John was a gallant prince.

"I have seen more than one gallant Spaniard under whose power I should
grieve to see any friend of mine."

All the rest of the way Richard Talbot entertained the young gentleman
with stories of his own voyages and adventures, into which he managed
to bring traits of Spanish cruelty and barbarity as shown in the Low
Countries, such as, without actually drawing the moral every time,
might show what was to be expected if Mary of Scotland and Don John of
Austria were to reign over England, armed with the Inquisition.

Antony asked a good many questions, and when he found that the captain
had actually been an eye-witness of the state of a country harried by
the Spaniards, he seemed a good deal struck.

"I think if I had the training of him I could make a loyal Englishman
of him yet," said Richard Talbot to his wife on his return. "But I
fear me there is that in his heart and his conscience which will only
grow, while yonder sour-faced doctor, with whom I had to leave him at
Cambridge, preaches to him of the perdition of Pope and Papists."

"If his mother were indeed a concealed Papist," said Susan, "such
sermons will only revolt the poor child."

"Yea, truly. If my Lord wanted to make a plotter and a Papist of the
boy he could scarce find a better means. I myself never could away
with yonder lady's blandishments. But when he thinks of her in
contrast to yonder divine, it would take a stronger head than his not
to be led away. The best chance for him is that the stir of the world
about him may put captive princesses out of his head."

CHAPTER VIII.

THE KEY OF THE CIPHER

Where is the man who does not persuade himself that when he gratifies
his own curiosity he does so for the sake of his womankind? So Richard
Talbot, having made his protest, waited two days, but when next he had
any leisure moments before him, on a Sunday evening, he said to his
wife, "Sue, what hast thou done with that scroll of Cissy's? I trow
thou wilt not rest till thou art convinced it is but some lying
horoscope or Popish charm."

Susan had in truth been resting in perfect quietness, being extremely
busy over her spinning, so as to be ready for the weaver who came round
periodically to direct the more a