tion
must be made; his person or a ransom must be had. Or, if they would
give up all claim to the property and child,--the latter being
produced at once--the French were willing to call the matter
settled. Indeed, this was all they wished, and if Sir John could be
conveniently made away with forever, and it proven that the English
had accomplished it, they would certainly be entitled to his
hereditaments.

Buckingham held the key to the situation. He saw a way to pay a ransom
for Sir John; also a way to gain enough gold from the enterprise to
make himself independent for life. He found Sir John in London,
but not until after Cantemir had gained the former's confidence.
Buckingham took alarm at Cantemir's knowledge and insisted upon Sir
John removing to a place of greater seclusion; it being feared that he
would be murdered.

Sir John was fond of the Duke, and beside taking his advice, he laid
bare his heart and told him of his great distress over Katherine.
Cantemir had said that she was being held dishonourably by the old
lord's son, who was profligate and only sought her favour without
marriage.

Buckingham assured him to the contrary, and made him acquainted with
the true circumstances; not failing to tell him of Mistress Penwick's
unsettled disposition; her ambitions, and intractable nature; that
she was refractory and vexatious; petulant and forever thwarting Lord
Cedric's advances.

The Duke concluded this friendly visit by insinuating strongly--that
Sir John might infer--that the friendship which amounted to nothing
less than love, between himself and Lord Cedric, would alone--barring
the question of a beautiful daughter--suffice to bring the latter to
a full appreciation of Sir John's case. And if a ransom was decided
upon, as being the surest means for his immediate safety, my Lord
Cedric would pay and not feel its loss.

"And," went on the Duke, "when chance or design brings thee together,
if thou wouldst not be made to feel utterly unhappy, mention not the
matter to him. He is eccentric like the old lord, and would fall
into the spleen, which condition, when entered into by his lordship,
becomes of the temperature of that nondescript bourne the other side
of Paradise."

Buckingham knew that two emissaries were upon the seas from the New
World. They were coming to interest the King in behalf of Sir John. So
far the Duke had kept everything from his Majesty and must also keep
these "bumpkins" from tor