he richest nobles in the
realm--eh! Cedric?" His Lordship thought he saw the trend of his
Grace's mind, and felt better.

"I'm rich to be sure, egad! What's the game, faro, loo, crib,
langquement or quinze?" and he tapped his pouncet-box nervously.

"We have always been good, true friends, my lord. Your father and mine
have shared in many and continued vicissitudes, and for this cause
alone, barring our friendships of more recent years, I would give thee
a secret of which I am only half owner."

"And what is this secret, your Grace? I am interested."

"A secret cut into is only half a secret, and--"

"Ah! ah! how stupid I have grown! By all means, we are dealing in
fractions, and to get the other half I must either pay or go a-hunting
for it."

"And thou, being hot-foot after most precious game, methought 'twould
best serve to give thee a clue, as to the value of the secret, that
thou couldst determine whether 'twas worth the finding;--whether 'twas
worth the leaving off pursuit of that thou art after,"--and the Duke
threw open his waistcoat and revealed its lining of rare satin and a
pocket that contained a paper written upon in a writing that made Lord
Cedric start, for he recognized it as Sir John Penwick's. And there
recurred to him the conversation he overheard at the monastery, when
one said,--"and once Sir John gets to this country." But nay; his
very last words in his own waistcoat pocket? So he spoke out
disdainfully,--

"And thou dost embroider thy facings with dead men's autographs?"

"They are the better preserved, my lord," said the Duke, with a smile.

"Then I am to understand the secret doth nearly concern Mistress Pen
wick, and if I should show her favour, I would pay well for a sequel
to that thou art about to unfold, eh! Duke?"

"Aye, pay well; for the demand will be more than thou dost imagine,"
and he took the paper and gave it into Cedric's hands.

At a glance Cedric saw that the outside paper only was written on by
Sir John; the inner document, containing the whole story, being made
in a strange hand. And Cedric said to himself,--"Aye, 'tis a ruse.
Sir John is dead and I'll wager on't."

"Thou mayest occupy my chamber, which for the present is here." The
Duke left the anxious Cedric to read at leisure.

Lord Cedric knew 'twas not his Grace's way to waste time on things of
no moment, and he therefore apprehended evil and his fingers trembled;
his dark eyes grew large as he read; his