packet unseen. Tell him that I know his parents' son too well to
offer him any meed save the prayers and blessings of a poor captive, or
to fear that he would yield it for the largest reward Elizabeth's
coffers could yield."

"It shall be done, madam," said Cicely. But there was a strong purpose
in her mind that Humfrey should not be implicated in the matter.

When after dinner Sir Amias Paulett made his daily visit of inspection
to the Queen, she begged that the young Talbots might be permitted
another walk in the garden; and when he replied that he did not approve
of worldly pastime on the Sabbath, she pleaded the celebrated example
of John Knox finding Calvin playing at bowls on a Sunday afternoon at
Geneva, and thus absolutely prevailed on him to let them take a short
walk together in brotherly love, while the rest of the household was
collected in the hall to be catechised by the chaplain.

So out they went together, but to Humfrey's surprise, Cicely walked on
hardly speaking to him, so that he fancied at first that she must have
had a lecture on her demeanour to him. She took him along the broad
terrace beside the bowling-green, through some yew-tree walks to a
stone wall, and a gate which proved to be locked. She looked much
disappointed, but scanning the wall with her eye, said, "We have scaled
walls together before now, and higher than this. Humfrey, I cannot
tell you why, but I must go over here."

The wall was overgrown with stout branches of ivy, and though the
Sunday farthingale was not very appropriate for climbing, Cicely's
active feet and Humfrey's strong arm carried her safely to where she
could jump down on the other side, into a sort of wilderness where
thorn and apple trees grew among green mounds, heaps of stones and
broken walls, the ruins of some old outbuilding of the former castle.
There was only a certain trembling eagerness about her, none of the
mirthful exultation that the recurrence of such an escapade with her
old companion would naturally have excited, and all she said was,
"Stand here, Humfrey; an you love me, follow me not. I will return
anon."

With stealthy stop she disappeared behind a mound covered by a thicket
of brambles, but Humfrey was much too anxious for her safety not to
move quietly onwards. He saw her kneeling by one of those black
yawning holes, often to be found in ruins, intent upon fastening a
small packet to a stone; he understood all in a moment, and drew