ill in this if I could but
march with the law."

Brilliana jumped at his concession. She saw Tiffany in the distance
crossing the garden towards her and guessed that she came to announce
the arrival of the other miser; so she was eager to clinch the
business with Master Hungerford.

"Why, so you ever shall, with the King's law. What more easy? I
represent the King in this district; this fellow is a suspected
rebel; I give you leave to search his house for arms."

Master Paul pricked his ears. "Ah, so, for arms, you say?"

Tiffany paused in the archway and jerked her thumb over her shoulder
in the direction of the house. Brilliana shrugged her shoulders,
impatient of Master Paul's denseness.

"If you find gold in your search for steel, so much the better. Come,
come, this is your happy time, for I am told Master Rainham is
abroad."

She gave a glance for confirmation at Halfman, who lounged forward.

"That he is," he asserted, briskly. "He has gone a-marketing."

"Then to it at once!" Brilliana cried, eying the waverer
encouragingly. "Take such of my people as you will. You will find
some at the stables yonder," and as she spoke she pointed in the
direction opposite to the house. "Master Rainham's miserliness keeps
but a small retinue. You will meet with no resistance. Go forth, my
knight."

Master Paul almost skipped with delight and he cracked his fingers
vigorously. He seemed even less pleasing merry than terrified.

"You call me your knight." He turned and took Halfman to witness.
"She calls me her knight. I'll do it. I'll do it," he voiced,
exultingly.

Brilliana, with strenuous self-restraint, seemed to applaud his
antics.

"Bravely said, Chivalry!" she cried. "Let it be done, and well done,
ere dusk."

Master Paul quavered before her in an ecstasy of delighted obedience.

"I fly, enchantress--I fly!" he chirruped. Then, as he turned to go,
another thought struck him, and he entreated, grotesquely
languishing, "Prithee, your hand to kiss first."

Brilliana denied him affably.

"By-and-by, maybe, as the prize of your triumph. Farewell."

After sundry strange scrapings, Master Hungerford took his departure
in the direction of the stables. As soon as his back was turned,
Brilliana questioned her maid.

"Well, Tiffany, is it Master Rainham?"

"Ay, my lady," Tiffany answered, demurely. She knew there was some
manner of mystification forward and yearned for the key to it. "He
chafes in the musi