The bar
and the tap room reeked.

The duke was making his way through the crowd as best he might, when he
was met by the landlord, who bowed, and apologized, and finally offered
to conduct his grace by a private entrance to the parlor connected with
the duke's own reserved suit of apartments.

"An' noo, what will your grace hae to your supper?" hospitably inquired
the host, as soon as his guest was comfortably seated in his arm-chair
before the fire.

"Anything at all, so that it is cleanly served, for which I can, of
course, trust the Arondelle Arms," said the duke, smiling.

The landlord bowed and went out.

The duke leaned back in his chair, and stretched his feet to the genial
warmth of the fire.

He was feeling very happy. An immense load of anxiety was lifted from his
heart. She was found! She was perfectly well! In twelve hours he would
see her, and hear her own explanation of her very strange conduct. Her
explanation would be perfectly satisfactory. So great was his confidence
in her that he felt sure of this.

She was found. She was perfectly well. There was nothing to prevent them
from starting on their wedding tour as soon as they might wish to do so.
They would, therefore, leave London by the tidal train for Dover on the
next afternoon. The world would take it for granted that the wedding tour
had been interrupted and delayed only by the trial. The world would never
suspect Salome's strange escapade.

While these thoughts were passing through the mind of the duke, the
waiter came in and laid the cloth for supper.

And soon the landlord himself entered, bearing a tray on which was
arranged a choice bill of fare, the principal item of which was a roasted
pheasant.

The duke who had scarcely tasted food during the twenty-four hours of his
terrible anxiety, now that his anxiety was relieved, felt his appetite
return, demanding refreshment at the rate of compound interest.

He sat down to the table. The landlord waited on him.

The honest host of the Arondelle Arms was "dying," so to speak, for a
confidential conversation with his noble guest. For some little time his
respect for the Duke of Hereward held his curiosity in check; but at
length curiosity conquered respect, and he burst forth with:

"That wad be an unco impudent claim, the hizzie Rose Cameron tried to set
up agin your grace, as I hear all the folk say out by--the jaud maunn be
clear daft."

"It would be charitable to suppose that