as placed on the turf at a convenient distance
from the player. Each arch was numbered, from one to thirteen, but the
numbers were irregularly arranged, and the game consisted in rolling
bowls into the holes in succession, each player taking a single turn,
and the winner reaching the highest number first,--being, in fact, a
sort of lawn bagatelle. Dr. Jones recommended it as good to stretch
the rheumatic joints of his patients, and Queen Mary, an adept at all
out-of-door games, delighted in it, though she had refused an offer to
have the lawn arranged for it at Sheffield, saying that it would only
spoil a Buxton delight. She was still too stiff to play herself, but
found infinite amusement in teaching the new-comers the game, and poor
Susan, with her thoughts far away, was scarcely so apt a pupil as
befitted a royal mistress, especially as she missed Mrs. Kennedy.

When she came back, she found that the dame had been sitting with the
patient, and had made herself very agreeable to the girl by drawing out
from her all she knew of her own story from beginning to end, having
first shown that she knew of the wreck of the Bride of Dunbar.

"And, mother," said Cis, "she says she is nearly certain that she knows
who my true parents were, and that she could be certain if she saw the
swaddling clothes and tokens you had with me. Have you, mother? I
never knew of them."

"Yes, child, I have. We did not wish to trouble and perturb your mind,
little one, while you were content to be our daughter."

"Ah, mother, I would fain be yours and father's still. They must not
take me from you. But suppose I was some great and noble lord's
daughter, and had a great inheritance and lordship to give Humfrey!"

"Alas, child! Scottish inheritances are wont to bring more strife than
wealth."

Nevertheless, Cis went on supposing and building castles that were pain
and grief to her foreboding auditor. That evening, however, Richard
called his wife. It was late, but the northern sunset was only just
over, and Susan could wander out with him on the greensward in front of
the Earl's house.

"So this is the tale we are to be put off with," he said, "from the
Queen herself, ay, herself, and told with such an air of truth that it
would almost make me discredit the scroll. She told me with one of her
sweetest smiles how a favourite kinswoman of hers wedded in secret with
a faithful follower of hers, of the clan Hepburn. Oh, I assure you