are of myself full well;" and he quickly placed himself in
an attitude of defence.

"Tut, I mean no ill, 'tis a matter of secrecy which I am about to
entrust you with; read this," and pulling up a piece of cord which
suspended from his neck, he drew up a tiny casket from his bosom, and,
opening it, he drew out a neatly-folded slip of paper and held it out.

Slowly and laboriously Roger spelled the missive out, and having
succeeded at last in making himself master of its contents, he
whistled with surprise, and closely scanned the visage of his guest.

"What a change!" he exclaimed at length. "What will the baron say?"

"Hush, speak gently, or we shall be overheard. The baron must not
know. Can you be trusted?"

"Surely. And you are Master Manners who killed that De la Zouch. To
think of it, now."

John Manners it was. His rescue of Dorothy had advanced his suit but
little. Lady Vernon had been too proud to own herself defeated, and
Sir George had passed his word to the Stanleys and was bound to keep
to his promise, while Edward Stanley, who had arrived at Haddon soon
after the maiden's rescue, had taken a dislike to his rival and had
made matters so uncomfortable for him at the Hall that the unfortunate
esquire had found it necessary to take the hint and withdraw himself
from Haddon.

But though driven away he was not defeated, for he yet found means of
hearing from his betrothed, and even occasionally to correspond
with her, but he soon found that the long absence grew more and more
unendurable, until at last he determined to venture forward at every
risk to be near her again.

"And so they would force Mistress Dorothy to marry Sir Thomas
Stanley's brother?" said the forester after a pause, as he handed the
little missive back.

"Yes, and Dorothy conjures you to help us. You will do it, will you
not?"

"So good as she has been to my poor little Lettice, yes, that I will
do; but how?"

"I must be a forester."

"'Tis a rough life for such as thee, Master Manners."

"Yes."

"And it is dangerous, too, at times."

"Aye, I know."

"And then if you were to be discovered?"

"Don't talk of ifs, man. I talked it all over with Dorothy long ago.
She could not dissuade me, nor can you. I am ready for anything for
her sake."

"Heaven bless her. I--"

"Aye, heaven bless her," interrupted Manners. "I shall wed her yet, if
heaven does but bless her."

"You are decided to join our craft, then?" asked Roger.