suddenly looked older, and
seemed more dour, more repellent than before.

"Sue hath such a romantic temperament," he said dryly, speaking between
his teeth and as if with an effort. "Lambert's humble origin has fired
her imagination. He has no parents and his elder brother is the
blacksmith down at Acol; his aunt, who seems to have had charge of the
boys ever since they were children, is just a common old woman who lives
in the village--a strict adherent, so I am told, of this new sect, whom
Justice Bennet of Derby hath so justly nicknamed 'Quakers.' They talk
strangely, these people, and believe in a mighty queer fashion. I know
not if Lambert be of their creed, for he does not use the 'thee' and
'thou' when speaking as do all Quakers, so I am told; but his empty
pockets, a smattering of learning which he has picked up the Lord knows
where, and a plethora of unspoken grievances, have all proved a sure
passport to Lady Sue's sympathy."

"Nay, but your village of Acol seems full of queer folk, good Sir
Marmaduke," said Mistress Pyncheon. "I have heard talk among my servants
of a mysterious prince hailed from France, who has lately made one of
your cottages his home."

"Oh! ah! yes!" quoth Sir Marmaduke lightly, "the interesting exile from
the Court of King Louis. I did not know that his fame had reached you,
mistress."

"A French prince?--in this village?" exclaimed Dame Harrison sharply,
"and pray, good Sir Marmaduke, where did you go a-fishing to get such a
bite?"

"Nay!" replied Sir Marmaduke with a short laugh, "I had naught to do
with his coming; he wandered to Acol from Dover about six months ago it
seems, and found refuge in the Lamberts' cottage, where he has remained
ever since. A queer fellow I believe. I have only seen him once or
twice in my fields ... in the evening, usually ..."

Perhaps there was just a curious note of irritability in Sir Marmaduke's
voice as he spoke of this mysterious inhabitant of the quiet village of
Acol; certain it is that the two matchmaking old dames seemed smitten at
one and the same time with a sense of grave danger to their schemes.

An exile from France, a prince who hides his identity and his person in
a remote Kentish village, and a girl with a highly imaginative
temperament like Lady Sue! here was surely a more definite, a more
important rival to the pretensions of homely country youths like Sir
Timothy Harrison or Squire Pyncheon, than even the student of humble
o