yet half of joy. The longing for freedom, struggle, adventure, was
strong upon him. The restraint of the city, the bare thought of
captivity, put wild thoughts into heart and brain; but the sense of
having been betrayed--made a tool of--befooled by this handsome,
imperious man beside him, set his blood boiling in his veins.

At that moment Nell Gwynne was led out, making sparks fly from her
feet as she plunged in passing beneath the doorway. She looked in
perfect condition--sleek, mettlesome, strong, and beautiful. Tom's
heart leaped at the sight of the splendid creature, who turned a
responsive head at the sound of his voice, and dropped her velvet
nose into his hand.

"She is yours, Tom, from this moment," said Lord Claud, signing
away the servant, and himself holding her head; "take her as the
gift of one who is neither so indifferent nor so callous as you may
think. Here is a purse of gold, too, Tom--all your own, my lad, so
shrink not from taking it. Tom, whatever be the end of this
friendship betwixt us, believe that I have loved you. It is my
luckless lot to bring misfortune at times to those who consort with
me; yet methinks they have their fierce tastes of joy, too. Tom, I
shall not forget you. I shall hear of you. I shall sometimes see
you; and I shall be your friend, whether or not you believe it now.
You shall not always need to dwell in the forest. You shall return
thence with fame and fortune secure.

"But, for the present, farewell. Captain Jack will give you
welcome. He will be looking to see you. He will welcome you gladly.
You will find it no such bad life, believe me. But delay not
longer. Be off!"

Tom was in the saddle, and the mare reared beneath him with a snort
of glad anticipation. She had done no work this many a day, being
kept in readiness for Tom's use, with only the needful modicum of
exercise up and down within hail of her stable.

Lord Claud stretched out his hand, and Tom put his within it. After
all, he loved this man in spite of all his faults and follies, and
the strange reputation which clave to him. He might be false, but
Tom had trusted him, and he desired to trust him to the end.

Then he rode forth in the soft summer darkness, turning the mare's
head westward at first, to get clear of the streets and houses, and
only heading her north and then east as he made a wide circuit of
the city.

To ride through it would have been to court capture; and even as it
was, as he sp