d
shall depart at once, and you will find out when too late that you
drove away in such a scurvy fashion the truest friend you ever had,"
and boiling over with well-simulated fury, De la Zouch leapt from
his chair and passed through the doorway, chuckling to himself at the
success of his little scheme to extricate himself.

He was liberated now from the awkwardness of his false position. His
day's rest and the attention he had received had done wonders towards
effecting his recovery, and ordering a horse to be saddled, a few
minutes later he passed out of the precincts of the Hall, and hoping
that he would never have occasion to return, he mustered up his
strength and started out upon a midnight ride to Ashby.

CHAPTER XXIV.

THE ESCAPE.

But in these cases
We still have judgment that we but teach
Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return
To plague th' inventor; this evil-handed justice
Commends th' ingredients of our poisoned chalice
To our own lips.

SHAKESPEAKE.

When Eustace delivered his charges into the hands of the chamberlain
at Ashby his task was ended, and he had no further responsibility in
the matter.

The rest afforded him by the journey had the effect of refreshing John
Manners to a considerable degree, and when he stood before Sir Henry's
deputy he felt well able to take care of himself and quite capable of
resisting any unwarrantable liberties that they might attempt to take
with him.

Simon Greenwood, the chamberlain of Ashby Castle, was a fit person
to represent his lord. Indeed, had Sir Henry searched throughout
the length and breadth of the land, he would probably never have
discovered a man more after his own heart, or a servant who would have
so faithfully aided him in the many questionable transactions in which
he was from time to time engaged. He had grown up on the estate. His
father had served the former lord of the manor, and entering into
his master's service when quite a youth, Simon had flourished on the
success of his numerous petty stratagems; he had supplanted those who
had been above him, and now, as the right hand of his lord, he was
ever eager to distinguish himself in Sir Henry's eyes.

He glanced at the two prisoners with an air of haughty contempt which
would have done credit to De la Zouch himself.

"So you are John Manners, eh?" he drawled out at length.

Manners looked at him disdainfully, but returned n