daughter, and I live my life away in the country, so all
I know of the gay doings in the town I must needs hear from my
father, who tells me as little as ever he can!"

And she looked towards him with a charming pout upon her lips,
though her eyes were full of love beneath their merry sparkle.

"I am but a country-bred youth myself, Mistress Rosamund," answered
Tom, who had laid aside all his fine gentleman airs, and felt a
deal more comfortable in consequence, "and this town and its gay
doings are as strange to me as they can be to you. I am all agape
at what I see and hear; but a man must needs keep his astonishment
to himself, else he becomes the butt and the gibe of all the
company."

And forthwith, by no means reluctantly, Master Tom began to give
account of his doings of the past days, only keeping quite silent
on the subject of the duel, for he had learned that that was a
matter which Lord Claud wished to remain secret.

Rosamund listened as Desdemona might have done to Othello, and Cale
himself was considerably interested, though he shook his head when
he heard that already Tom had lost all the money he had about him,
and was even in debt to Lord Claud for losses he had been unable to
meet at the moment, and which his patron had settled for him.

"Keep away from the gaming tables, Tom; keep away from the gaming
tables," he said. "Did I not warn you that you would be fleeced and
rooked if you tried that sort of thing on?"

Tom laughed a little, and said he knew beforehand he should lose,
as though that were an excuse. But Cale only shook his head; and
Rosamund asked eagerly:

"But who is this great Lord Claud, fair sir? He seems a wonderful
person, and fain would I see him with mine own eyes. He seems a
kind and generous man, and wondrous clever and beautiful. Pray tell
me who he is?"

Tom looked across at Cale, and made answer:

"I' sooth, Mistress Rosamund, I know not. Perchance your father may
be better instructed."

Cale shook his head. His face was very grave.

"That is a question which I doubt if any man in London town can
answer. Every man knows Lord Claud by name and fame, but none can
tell who he is, nor whence come his wealth and power. Mark me, Tom,
it behoves you to have a care how you fall beneath the spell of his
beauty and his kindliness. He has made friends before this of
handsome, powerful lads, not long from the country, and amongst
these many have disappeared and never been heard