ct and
perilous approaches to implying that Cis was no ordinary person to be
sharply reproved when she sat musing and sighing instead of sewing
Diccon's shirts.

Even the father himself could not well brook to hear the girl blamed,
and both he and Humfrey could not help treating her with a kind of
deference that made the younger brothers gape and wonder what had come
to Humfrey on his travels "to make him treat our Cis as a born
princess."

"You irreverent varlets," said Humfrey, "you have yet to learn that
every woman ought to be treated as a born princess."

"By cock and pie," said spoilt Ned, "that beats all! One's own sister!"

Whereupon Humfrey had the opportunity of venting a little of his
vexation by thrashing his brother for his oath, while sharp Diccon
innocently asked if men never swore by anything when at sea, and
thereby nearly got another castigation for irreverent mocking of his
elder brother's discipline.

At other times the girl's natural activity and high spirits gained the
upper hand, and she would abandon herself without reserve to the old
homely delights of Bridgefield. At the apple gathering, she was
running about, screaming with joy, and pelting the boys with apples,
more as she had done at thirteen than at seventeen, and when called to
order she inconsistently pleaded, "Ah, mother! it is for the last time.
Do but let me have my swing!" putting on a wistful and caressing look,
which Susan did not withstand when the only companions were the three
brothers, since Humfrey had much of her own unselfishness and
self-command, resulting in a discretion that was seldom at fault.

And that discretion made him decide at a fortnight's end that his
father had been right, and that it would be better for him to absent
himself from where he could do no good, but only added to the general
perplexity, and involved himself in the temptation of betraying the
affection he knew to be hopeless.

Before, however, it was possible to fit out either Diccon or the four
men who were anxious to go under the leadership of Master Humfrey of
Bridgefield, the Earl and Countess of Shrewsbury were returning fully
reconciled. Queen Elizabeth had made the Cavendishes ask pardon on
their knees of the Earl for their slanders; and he, in his joy, had
freely forgiven all. Gilbert Talbot and his wife had shared in the
general reconciliation. His elder brother's death had made him the
heir apparent, and all were coming home ag