d gladly go forth and
see new lands, the more so if I could travel with a comrade who
knew to frame his tongue to foreign speech;" and here he glanced at
Lord Claud, who seemed to him a notable linguist.

"You know no tongue but your own, Mr. Tufton?"

"Never a word; and even that I cannot speak as men speak it in
London town, so that I am fain to keep silence in a crowd like
this, lest men laugh me to scorn, and anger me till I say or do
something unseemly;" and the lad's face flushed, for he had been
sorely provoked before this, and had need of all his patience to
quell the tempest of his soul.

The Duke smiled at this boyish frankness of speech; but then his
face grew grave again, and he stood a while in thought. Then he
looked at Lord Claud, and said with some significance:

"I will think more of this matter, sir. I have used strange tools
before this, and ofttimes with success. The secret service has its
secrets and its surprises; and I have my own methods of winning the
fidelity of the messengers I employ."

"So I have heard, your Grace."

The two men looked full at each other, and the glance was neither
unfriendly nor suspicious. It appeared to Tom as though there were
mutual liking, and a disposition to confidence; but this was
neither the time nor the place to indulge it.

"Till all this feasting and pageantry be over, I am not mine own
master, and I can scarce find time for the needful business of the
hour," said Marlborough; "but later on I hope to be free to spend a
short spell of well-earned rest in mine own house of Holywell, hard
by St. Albans. If you should receive a summons to visit me there,
come privately, and bring your friend with you. It may be I shall
make use of your services ere long."

With a slight bow, which was respectfully returned by Tom, and more
gracefully by Lord Claud, the Duke moved away; and Tom's eyes were
alight with excitement as he asked eagerly:

"What does it mean? What have you offered? What will he use us
for?"

Lord Claud led his pupil away through the crowded rooms, out into
the cold night air; but neither of them felt the cold. A keen
excitement filled their veins as with molten fire.

"He rose to it!" quoth Lord Claud exultantly; "I saw it ever
growing in favour as he turned it over. I have heard of his methods
in the secret service. He spends more money, and gets greater
results than any general has ever yet done. He says truth when he
speaks of employing