as bearer of some message to her or her household; and equally
often was called in to hear her requests, and sometimes he could not
help believing because it pleased her to see him, even if there were
nothing to tell her.

Nor was there anything known until the 19th of November, when the sound
of horses' feet in large numbers, and the blast of bugles, announced
the arrival of a numerous party. When marshalled into the ordinary
dining-hall, they proved to be Lord Buckhurst, a dignified-looking
nobleman, who bore a sad and grave countenance full of presage, with
Mr. Beale, the Clerk of the Council, and two or three other officials
and secretaries, among whom Humfrey perceived the inevitable Will
Cavendish.

The two old comrades quickly sought each other out, Will observing, "So
here you are still, Humfrey. We are like to see the end of a long
story."

"How so?" asked Humfrey, with a thrill of horror, "is she sentenced?"

"By the Commissioners, all excepting my Lord Zouch, and by both houses
of Parliament! We are come down to announce it to her. I'll have you
into the presence-chamber if I can prevail. It will be a noteworthy
thing to see how the daughter of a hundred kings brooks such a
sentence."

"Hath no one spoken for her?" asked Humfrey, thinking at least as much
of Cicely as of the victim.

"The King of Scots hath sent an ambassage," returned Cavendish, "but
when I say 'tis the Master of Gray, you know what that means. King
James may be urgent to save his mother--nay, he hath written more
sharply and shrewishly than ever he did before; but as for this Gray,
whatever he may say openly, we know that he has whispered to the Queen,
'The dead don't bite.'"

"The villain!"

"That may be, so far as he himself is concerned, but the counsel is
canny, like the false Scot himself. What's this I hear, Humfrey, that
you have been playing the champion, and getting wounded in the defence?"

"A mere nothing," said Humfrey, opening his hand, however, to show the
mark. "I did but get my palm scored in hindering a villainous
man-at-arms from slaying the poor lady."

"Yea, well are thy race named Talbot!" said Cavendish. "Sturdy
watch-dogs are ye all, with never a notion that sometimes it may be for
the good of all parties to look the other way."

"If you mean that I am to stand by and see a helpless woman--"

"Hush! my good friend," said Will, holding up his hand. "I know thy
breed far too well to mean any s