hand against
the King's majesty."

"But they will, I trow, if they have the power," said the lady. "And
that God may rescue this nation from their hands, it behoves us to
appear before Him in decent raiment of mourning at this time."

"Are we all to go into mourning?" asked Bessie, in some surprise.

"Would you be wearing ribbons and ruffles, and such light vanities at
this time?" angrily demanded the lady.

Bessie looked down, feeling very much ashamed of herself, but hardly
knowing how she had offended, until Bertram asked, "Will everybody wear
mourning for the Archbishop, aunt?"

"Every honest Christian soul will nathless wish to do so," replied
Mistress Mabel, with a severe look at Bessie.

The little girl felt the reproof, and when she went upstairs she put
away all her bright ribbons and the gay dresses that had been worn at
her sister's wedding. "I don't mind wearing the black hood and wimple,
Maud," she said; "but then I thought people wore mourning because they
felt sorry, and I can't feel so sorry about the Archbishop as I did
about Harry going away."

"Of course not, dear, because----"

"But aunt seems to think we ought," interrupted the little girl; "and
father never looked so sorry about Harry as he did to-day about the
Archbishop."

"Your father may not let us see how sorry he is about Harry," said Maud,
"but I am sure he is often thinking of him."

Maud spoke of this as though she were sure it was so, as in truth she
was. She had noticed a great alteration in her guardian lately. His hair
was rapidly changing from brown to silver white, his tall erect form was
bowed as with the weight of an added twenty years; and she thought with
a keen pang that if Harry did not soon come he would never see his
father again. And then arose the question, where was Harry?--for no news
had come but that one voice from the battle-field, telling them he was
sick and wounded.

CHAPTER IX.

THE WOUNDED MESSENGER.

There was little fear that no fasts would be kept the month that the
Archbishop was executed. So many were compelled to fast for want of food
throughout England, that all the land might be said to mourn, although
they did not put on the outward semblance of it, as Mistress Mabel did.

Just as the men were thinking of leaving their homes again in the early
spring, came a faint rumour that peace might be established, and many a
heart beat high with hope that the commissioners who were to meet