om his steed; following the
sound of the rivulet, he gained its banks, and after quenching his
thirst in the hollow of his hand, laid himself down upon the long grass,
waving coolly over the margin, and fell into profound thought. From this
revery he was aroused by a quick footstep, and as he lifted his gloomy
gaze, he beheld Marmaduke Nevile by his side.

"Well, young man," said he, sternly, "with what messages art thou
charged?"

"With none, my lord earl. I await now no commands but thine."

"Thou knowest not, poor youth, that I can serve thee no more. Go back to
the court."

"Oh, Warwick," said Marmaduke, with simple eloquence, "send me not from
thy side! This day I have been rejected by the maid I loved. I loved her
well, and my heart chafed sorely, and bled within! but now, methinks,
it consoles me to have been so cast off,--to have no faith, no love,
but that which is best of all, to a brave man,--love and faith for a
hero-chief! Where thy fortunes, there be my humble fate,--to rise or
fall with thee!"

Warwick looked intently upon his young kinsman's face, and said, as to
himself, "Why, this is strange! I gave no throne to this man, and he
deserts me not! My friend," he added aloud, "have they told thee already
that I am disgraced?"

"I heard the Lord Scales say to the young Lovell that thou wert
dismissed from all thine offices; and I came hither; for I will serve no
more the king who forgets the arm and heart to which he owes a kingdom."

"Man, I accept thy loyalty!" exclaimed Warwick, starting to his feet;
"and know that thou hast done more to melt and yet to nerve my spirit
than--But complaints in one are idle, and praise were no reward to
thee."

"But see, my lord, if the first to join thee, I am not the sole one.
See, brave Raoul de Fulke, the Lords of St. John, Bergavenny, and
Fitzhugh, ay, and fifty others of the best blood of England, are on thy
track."

And as he spoke, plumes and tunics were seen gleaming up the forest
path, and in another moment a troop of knights and gentlemen, comprising
the flower of such of the ancient nobility as yet lingered round the
court, came up to Warwick, bareheaded.

"Is it possible," cried Raoul de Fulke, "that we have heard aright,
noble earl? And has Edward IV. suffered the base Woodvilles to triumph
over the bulwark of his realm?"

"Knights and gentles!" said Warwick, with a bitter smile, "is it so
uncommon a thing that men in peace should leave the bat