did you not try to hear the rest of
their talk?"

The man smiled shrewdly. "I did my best, sir. There is a spot where
the wall in your lordship's room is very thin. I listened there, and
though I caught a sentence only now and then, yet I made it that the
Earl of Richmond is to land in England with an army on the eighteenth
of this present month. The Knight--De Shaunde, methinks they called
him--comes from the Duke of Buckingham, and the two monks from Lord
Stanley. Stanley declined to fall in with the proposals of Buckingham
and sent him warning to withdraw from the conspiracy at once, for he
was about to advise the King of Richmond's coming. So much I gathered,
sir, from their conversation, though I cannot repeat their words."

"How long have they been gone?"

"Some little time, sir. They rode Southward together."

De Lacy strode to the front door and flung it open. A gust of wind and
rain drove through, extinguishing the torch and blowing the smouldering
fire on the hearth into a flame. Without was a sea of darkness which
made pursuit impossible and hopeless. Clearly there was naught to be
done till daybreak, and with an imprecation he turned away.

Verily, this night was full of surprises. First, Flat-Nose . . . then,
Darby . . . and now a rebellion, with Buckingham traitor and Stanley
true. Matters were getting complicated and required some
consideration. Of course, his first duty was to the King; to warn him
of this invasion by Richmond and the insurrection in the South. It
superseded even his obligation to the Countess; and with the dogged
faith and discipline of a soldier he accepted the situation and
prepared to act accordingly.

Haste was essential; and as two could make more speed to Lincoln than a
dozen, the question was whether to go himself or to dispatch trusty
messengers. Each course had its advantages and defects. If he went,
he would be obliged to leave Lord Darby behind and trust Dauvrey to
bring him to the King. Not to go, would be to seem lax in Richard's
service, and possibly to miss the opening moves in the campaign, which
must necessarily begin instantly and hurry Southward, and in which he
would perforce be obliged to take part the moment he did arrive. For
well he foresaw that Richard would have no time to devote to the
Countess' affairs at such a crisis. The business of the individual,
however much a favorite, must needs give place to a struggle for a
Kingdom and a Cr