wn you, loved you."

Brilliana laid a hand for a moment on his shoulder and spoke in a
soft, even voice.

"You have been my enemy; you have been my friend; you are now the one
man in all the world for me. Read in my heart that I thank God to
have known you, that I thank God that I love you. Remember, I love
you, Evander. Farewell."

Then she saluted the King and went slowly out of the room without
looking back.

XXVI

RESURRECTION

Some hours later Rufus Quaryll sat alone in the garden-room, writing.
It was coming on dusk; candles had been lit, the fire was ruddy on
the hearth. Rufus, as he wrote, was well content with the turn of
things. He raged at Brilliana, but she should marry him all the same
when the Puritan dog was dead. He had, as he believed, convinced the
King at meat that the plea Evander raised was valueless, that
Evander's life was rightly forfeit. Evander was under close guard;
so, indeed, was Brilliana, for he had stationed a sentry at the door
of her apartments: he was determined that she should not see the King
again. Now the King lay in the inner room, sleeping; when he rose it
would be easy to get the order for Evander's death. Furious in his
hate, furious in his love, he would neither spare Evander nor
surrender Brilliana. She should be his wife, if he had to drag her
before an altar.

As he thought and wrote, the door opened and Halfman entered the
room. Rufus, lifting his head, faced him with a finger on his lips
while with the other he pointed to the door of the inner chamber.

"Hush!" he whispered; "the King sleeps. But all is well. He has as
good as promised the Puritan shall die."

"All is not so well as you think," said Halfman, sardonically. "Here
comes one more pleased to see you than you to see him."

He went to the door again and ushered in a man who had waited
outside, a man muffled in a cloak, and his face hidden by the way his
hat was pulled over it. The man advanced slowly towards the surprised
Rufus, and suddenly dropping his cloak and throwing back his hat
uncovered a youthful, jovial face. Rufus gaped at him in despair and
gasped a name:

"Randolph!"

Randolph Harby dropped into a chair and chuckled.

"No wonder you stare as if you faced a spectre. But I'm flesh and
blood, lad."

Rufus, trying to collect himself against this staggering blow, again
raised a warning hand.

"For Heaven's sake speak lower! The King is asleep yonder. How do you
come here?"