to the Council, so he only looked sagacious;
and Humfrey thought of the Castle Well, and felt the satisfaction there
is in seeing a hunted creature escape. He asked, however, about
Cuthbert Langston, saying, "He is--worse luck, as you may have
heard--akin to my father, who always pitied him as misguided, but
thought him as sincere in his folly as ever was this unlucky Babington."

"So he seems to have been till of late. He hovered about in sundry
disguises, as you know, much to the torment of us all; but finally he
seems to have taken some umbrage at the lady, thinking she flouted his
services, or did not pay him high enough for them, and Gifford bought
him over easily enough; but he goes with us by the name of Maude, and
the best of it is that the poor fools thought he was hoodwinking us all
the time. They never dreamt that we saw through them like glass.
Babington was himself with Mr. Secretary only last week, offering to go
to France on business for him--the traitor! Hark! there are more sounds
of horse hoofs. Who comes now, I marvel!"

This was soon answered by a serving-man, who hurried out to tell
Humfrey that his father was arrived, and in a few moments the young man
was blessed and embraced by the good Richard, while Diccon stood by,
considerably repaired in flesh and colour by his brief stay under his
mother's care.

Mr. Richard Talbot was heartily welcomed by Sir Amias Paulett, who
regretted that his daughter was out of reach, but did not make any
offer of facilitating their meeting.

Richard explained that he was on his way to London on behalf of the
Earl. Reports and letters, not very clear, had reached Sheffield of
young Babington being engaged in a most horrible conspiracy against the
Queen and country, and my Lord and my Lady, who still preserved a great
kindness for their former ward, could hardly believe it, and had sent
their useful and trustworthy kinsman to learn the truth, and to find
out whether any amount of fine or forfeiture would avail to save his
life.

Sir Amias thought it would be a fruitless errand, and so did Richard
himself, when he had heard as much of the history as it suited Paulett
and Wade to tell, and though they esteemed and trusted him, they did
not care to go beneath that outer surface of the plot which was filling
all London with fury.

When, having finished their after-dinner repose, they repaired to make
farther search, taking Cavendish to assist, they somewhat rel