"I shall not want for friends soon, forsooth; the great have ever
many," he replied.

Manners laughed.

"Thou hast few enough as yet, I'll warrant, besides thy good friend,
Sir Ronald," he exclaimed. "I trow you cannot well afford to turn the
first comers away, Nathan."

"I can do all with my elixir," was the proud response.

"Sir Ronald Bury tells me thou hast prepared this engine for
Sir George," said Manners, abruptly changing the topic of the
conversation. "Is that so?"

"Aha, for Sir George Vernon, yes."

"Can'st thou direct it against the Stanleys, too? I would have them
punished if we could."

"Thou art a friend of his," said Edmund, suspiciously, referring to
the baron.

"Albeit I seek revenge, justice, anything!" he said bitterly. "I have
been spurned away from his door like as I had been a dog."

Edmund looked at him incredulously. He was not convinced yet.

"If you mean no treachery," he said cautiously, "call me by my name,
for I am Edmund Wynne. I like not to bethink me of the past until--,"
and he approvingly looked at his instrument of death.

"Until what?"

"Ha, I will show thee," replied Edmund. "Stand not too near."

Manners had not much faith in the destructive properties of the
instrument, but the command was given in such an earnest and
authoritative fashion that to have refused compliance would only have
caused offence. Probably, too, Edmund would not try the experiment
if he expressed his scepticism, and he was curious to see it, so he
retreated to the doorway to watch his movements.

"This," Edmund went on, "is to be put in the baron's room."

"Yes, but how?" asked Manners, perceiving that some sort of a remark
was expected of him.

"Cannot I, who have invented it, find some means for conveying the
engine there?" replied the inventor, with staggering emphasis.

Manners deferentially bowed his acquiescence, much to the amusement of
Sir Ronald.

"You must not heed his words," whispered the knight. "He is infatuated
with his work. In all things else he is as timid as a mouse."

"And then," pursued the mighty alchemyst, "and then--! Nay, I will
show thee, see!" and with some difficulty he forced open a little door
at the side.

Both Manners and Sir Ronald moved forward to examine it, for the room
was but faintly lighted and they could barely see the dim outline of
the instrument.

"Go back, go back," screamed Edmund. "Ronald, I look for no treachery
from thee."

"Tush,"