er lover looked,
and how far from being his pleasant, natural self.

'Yes, my dearest, including myself. When the bishop is annoyed my mother
fidgets over him until she makes herself ill. Knowing this, he is
usually careful not to let her see him when he is out of sorts, but
to-day he was not so discreet, and the consequence is that my mother has
an attack of nerves, and is lying on her sofa bathed in tears, with
Lucy in attendance. Of course, all this has upset me in my turn.'

'Well, George, I suppose it is natural that the bishop should be put
out, for such a terrible crime has not been committed here for years.
Indeed, the _Chronicle_ of last week was remarking how free from crime
this place was.'

'And naturally the gods gave them the lie by arranging a first-class
murder straight away,' said George, with a shrug. 'But why everybody
should be in such a state I can't see. The palace is like an
undertaker's establishment when business is dull. The only person who
seems at all cheerful is that fellow Cargrim.'

'He ought to be annoyed for the bishop's sake.'

'Faith, then, he isn't, Mab. He's going about rubbing his hands and
grinning like a Cheshire cat. I think the sight of him irritated me more
than the mourners. I'm glad to go back to my work.'

'Are you glad to leave me?'

'No, you dear goose,' said he, taking her hand affectionately; 'that is
the bitter drop in my cup. However, I have brought you something to draw
us closer together. There!'

'Oh, George!' cried Mab, looking in ecstasy at the ring he had slipped
on her finger, 'what a lovely, lovely ring, and what a queer one!--three
turquoise stones set in a braid of silver. I never saw so unique a
pattern.'

'I daresay not. It's not the kind of ring you'll come across every day,
and precious hard work I had to get it.'

'Did you buy it in Beorminster?' asked Miss Arden, putting her head on
one side to admire the peculiar setting of the blue stones.

'No; I bought it from Mother Jael.'

'From Mother Jael!--that old gipsy fortune-teller?'

'Precisely; from that very identical old Witch of Endor. I saw it on her
lean paw when I was last in Beorminster, and she came hovering round to
tell my fortune. The queer look of it took my fancy, and I determined to
secure it for our engagement ring. However, the old lady wasn't to be
bribed into parting with it, but last night I rode out to the camp on
Southberry Common and succeeded in getting it off her. S