came another roar from Tower Hill; but all was again
silent [Note 2]. The minutes passed slowly to the kneeling group. It
seemed a long time ere he spoke again.

"O Lord, shed Thy peace over the last moments of this our brother in the
Gospel of Christ--in Thy kingdom and patience. Let Thy servant depart
in peace. Suffer not Satan to harass and annoy him, nor the thought of
his own sins to grieve and shake him. Fix his mind firmly upon Thee and
on Thy Christ. O holy and merciful Saviour, suffer him not, at his last
hour, for any pains of death, to fall from Thee!"

As Mr Rose uttered the last word, the Tower guns rang out, clear and
sharp, on the frosty morning air. Few sounds ever thrilled so straight
to the Gospellers' hearts as that. None uttered another word while they
knelt. Even the Amen was silent now. They might pray no more for
Edward Duke of Somerset.

Slowly, one after another, all rose. All still, in silent mourning,
they waited till the great clock of Saint Botolph's rang out eight
times. The next minute every door in the street was opened, and men
were pouring out in a mass toward Aldgate. Then Mr Rose, with a heavy
sigh, rose and held out his hand. That action unloosed the tongues of
the party.

"Ah! God be his rest!" said Dr Thorpe, meditatively. "He did not alway
the right, but--"

"Do you?" answered Mr Rose, pointedly enough, with a quick flash in his
eyes.

"As said poor King Harry, `Kingdoms are but cares,'" said John [Note 3].
"He hath found a better now."

"He hath found a better, I am assured," answered Mr Rose, "and is now
singing the new song before the Throne. Methinks he doth not wish
himself back now."

"I marvel," suggested Dr Thorpe, half sorrowfully, yet a little
scornfully, "how he and the Queen Katherine shall get along the one with
the other in Heaven?"

"I count, old friend," answered John, "that the Lutheran Queen and the
Gospelling Duke will each be taken up too much with the mercy that hath
forgiven his sins, to have any leisure for counting up those of the
other."

"Well, they will lack something of the sort," replied the old man.

"How can there be disagreement where each seeth clear?" said Mr Rose,
"or how any disliking in the presence of the Mediator?"

Dr Thorpe made no answer, but he shook Mr Rose's offered hand warmly;
and when he was gone, he said, "That is a good man. I would I were a
better."

"Amen!" responded Avery, "for us all."

Ab