fact that had she heeded his words this last misery
would not have come upon her. "You feel as we all feel at times, yet are
we constrained to bide here. Were it in truth to serve the queen, God
bless her, there would be joy in staying. But to be at the beck and call
of every noble; to bear the trains of the ladies or dance attendance upon
them is not the life that a youth wishes. I pity thee, Francis, and thy
plight is not so bad as it will be should yon tower burn to the ground."

"Oh!" Francis looked up with startled eyes. "I did not think of that. It
was not my intent to burn the tower. Think you that it is in danger,
Edward?"

"Mayhap not," answered the boy regarding the tower with anxious eyes. "We
can but watch."

The two stood looking at the building in silence. As the moments passed
the lights disappeared from the windows, darkness settled over the tower,
and all was quiet. Francis drew a long breath of relief.

"It was unthinking and unheeding in me to throw the light," she said.
"What if the building had burned? The castle might have followed and thus
endangered the life of the queen. Oh, miserable girl that I am! What
would my father say to me?"

"Be not so cast down," comforted Edward. "Thou hadst great provocation,
and pardon me, mistress, but thy temper is not of the gentlest."

"I know," said Francis with unwonted meekness. "But when I saw my hair,
my pretty hair," she paused, her utterance choked, unwilling to give way
to her grief before him.

The boy touched the shorn head compassionately.

"'Twill not be long before it will grow again," he said. "And so long as
thou must wear that garb it will be all the better. I have seen many
longing glances cast at thy locks, Francis. 'Tis wonder that such mishap
hath not occurred before. If thou dost not wear them, thou hast at least
put it out of their power to grace the head of another. There is
something in that."

"Yes;" said Francis with a flash of spirit. "I would not that harm should
come to the palace, yet glad am I that the tresses were consumed. Thou
hast been kind to me, Master Devereaux. And yet thou art mine enemy!"

"Better an open enemy than a deceitful friend," quoth Edward
sententiously. "Say no more, Francis Stafford. If I have been of service
to thee, let it in some measure atone for my churlishness in killing that
deer. But we must to our several abodes else we shall bring the
displeasure of my lord chamberlain upon us. We shall ha