good from the arrival of the
courtier. As the latter urged his horse through the crowd, and entered
the arena, Sir George anticipated trouble.

"I want the King of the Peak," replied the new comer.

"I am Sir George Vernon."

"Then," replied the other, "I deliver into thine hand this summons,
which cites thee to appear at Westminster to answer the charge of
slaying Mary Durden."

The baron started with surprise, and thought for a moment of laying
violent hands upon the man, but a moment's reflection convinced him of
the unwisdom of such an act.

"And if I refuse to come," he doggedly said, "what then?"

"Then you do so at your peril," he replied, and leaping again upon
his horse, he departed as suddenly as he had appeared, leaving the
awe-stricken assembly to disperse with much less pleasure than they
had anticipated from the scene of such an exciting exhibition of manly
prowess.

CHAPTER IX.

AT THE COCK TAVERN, LONDON.

London! the needy villain's general home,
The common sewer of Paris and of Rome.
Here malice, rapine, accident conspire,
And now a rabble rages, now a fire;
Their ambush mere relentless villains lay,
And here the fell attorney prowls for prey.

JOHNSON.

Five days after the tournament had taken place, two travellers reined
in their steeds at the gates of the Cock Hostelry, just within the
Temple Bar. They were dusty with hard riding, and evidently in no good
humour with themselves nor with anyone with whom they were brought
into contact--a result doubtless attributable to the discomforts of a
long journey on roads rough enough to try the patience of any man.

The elder of the two, throwing the reins upon his horse's neck,
alighted, and leaving the ostler to take the steed away, he strode
quickly into the inn without uttering a word. The young man, however,
got off his saddle in a more leisurely fashion, and before he followed
his companion he proceeded to the stable to see that the horses were
properly attended to.

"The old man is a trifle out of sorts," the ostler ventured to remark,
as they entered the yard together.

"Perchance so," returned the other, "but that is no affair of thine;
but an you keep good care of his horse he will think well of thee."

"Yes, yes; certainly!" replied the man, grinning. "I always look well
after gentlemen's horses, I do. You'll not be wanting them in the
morning, I suppose?

"Yes, no; that is--I don't think we shall, but