"the King would make thee an
outlaw, would seize upon thy estates, because thou wouldst not pay the
price of a paltry knighthood!" Suddenly her face flushed, the blood came
back with a rush, and she stood upon her feet. "I would follow thee to
the world's end rather than that thou shouldst pay one penny for that
honour. The King offered thee knighthood? Why, two hundred years before
the King was born, an Enderby was promised an earldom. Why shouldst thou
take a knighthood now? Thou didst right, thou didst right." Her fingers
clasped in eager emphasis.

"Dost thou not see, my child," said he, "that any hour the King's troops
may surround our house and take me prisoner and separate thee from me?
I see but one thing to do; even to take thee at once from here and place
thee with thy aunt, Mistress Falkingham, in Shrewsbury."

"Father," the girl said, "thou shalt not put me away from thee. Let
the King's men surround Enderby House and the soldiers and my Lord
Rippingdale levy upon the estates of Enderby. Neither his Majesty nor
my Lord Rippingdale dare put a finger upon me--I would tear their eyes
out."

Enderby smiled half sadly at her, and answered "The fear of a woman is
one of the worst fears in this world. Booh!"

So ludicrously did he imitate her own manner of a few moments before
that humour drove away the flush of anger from her face, and she sat
upon his chair-arm and said:

"But we will not part; we will stand here till the King and Lord
Rippingdale do their worst--is it not so, father?"

He patted her head caressingly.

"Thou sayest right, my lass; we will remain at Enderby. Where is thy
brother Garrett?"

"He has ridden over to Mablethorpe, but will return within the hour,"
she replied.

At that moment there was a sound of hoofs in the court-yard. Running
to a rear window of the library Mistress Felicity clapped her hands and
said:

"It is he--Garrett."

Ten minutes afterwards the young man entered. He was about two years
older than his sister; that is, seventeen. He was very tall for his age,
with dark hair and a pale dry face, and of distinguished bearing. Unlike
his father, he was slim and gracefully built, with no breadth or power
to his shoulders, but with an athletic suppleness and a refinement
almost womanlike. He was tenacious, overbearing, self-willed, somewhat
silent and also somewhat bad-tempered.

There was excitement in his eye as he entered. He came straight to his
father, giving on