liffes are in it, and we were to go and raise Worcestershire, only
they wanted money, and Dick was to--to wed me--and set us across the
river this morning, when they had got the treasure. 'Twas for the King.
And now they are all gone, Master Philip and all, and master says they
are flibustiers, and pirates, and robbers; and Mrs. Lightfoot's boy came
and said Stead Kenton was shot dead at his house door, and then I was
neither to have nor to hold, but I ran off here like one distraught, for
I never loved anyone like you Stead."

"Pretty love!" said Patience. "Oh! if you think you love him, go and let
him be at peace."

"I do! I do!" cried the girl, quite unmanageable. "Only it made me mad
that he should heed an old chest and a musty parson more than me, and
so I took up with Dick, and he over persuaded me with his smooth tongue
that we would raise folk for the King."

Stead held out his hand.

"Oh! Stead, Stead, you are always kinder than Patience! You forgive me,
dear old Stead, do not you? And I'll tend you day and night, and you
shall not die, and I'll wed you, if you have nought but the shirt to
your back."

Patience felt nearly distracted at the notion of Emlyn there day and
night, but at that instant Goody Grace, who had been to her home in
preparation for spending the night in nursing, walked in.

"How now, mistress, what are you about here?"

"She wants to stay and tend him, and I don't know whether she has come
with her mistress's knowledge," sighed Patience.

"Fine tendance!" said the old woman. "My lady wants to kill him
outright. Nay, nay, my young madam, we want none of your airs and
flights here. You can do no good, except by making yourself scarce--you
that can't hold your tongue a moment."

Stead here whispered, "Her mistress, will she forgive her?"

"Oh, yes, no fear but that she will," said Emlyn, who perhaps had
revolved in her mind, since her first impulse, what it would be to nurse
Stead in that hovel, with two such displeased companions as Goody and
Patience. More to pacify Steadfast's uneasy eyes than for her own sake,
Patience gave her a drink of milk and a piece of bread, and Peter coming
just then to ask if he could help Ben with the cattle, undertook to
see her safely on her way, since twilight was coming on. Sobered and
awestruck by the silence and evident condemnation of all around, she
ended by flinging herself on her knees by the bed, and saying "Stead,
Stead, you forgive me, th