raised her right hand to his lips and kissed it, and then
signifying to her with a gesture to go to Evander, he seated himself
at the table and wrote rapidly for some seconds, while the two lovers
stood side by side, silent in hope and joy.

When the King had finished writing he shook the powder over the paper
and let it slide back into the standish, drying the ink as it slid.
Then he turned and held the paper to Evander, who advanced and took
it kneeling.

"This safe-conduct," said Charles, "will insure you from ill
treatment or delay at the hands of any loyal subjects, in arms or
otherwise." He leaned forward and struck upon the bell. To the
soldier on guard who entered he gave order that he wished to see Sir
Rufus Quaryll immediately. When the soldier had left, he turned in
his chair a little, so as to survey Evander and Brilliana standing
before him in silence, and there was a light of mockery in his eyes.

"Young people," he said, affecting mirthfully an exhortatory manner,
"you have played the first act of your love-play. How it is to go
with you hereafter it is for all to hope, albeit for none to guess
with discretion. But in a little while this land distracted will be
calm again, and it may well be, Mr. Cloud, that I shall be glad to
see you at Whitehall."

The King's manner was mild, the King's voice benign; he was really
very well pleased with himself for his clemency, and very well
pleased with the man and woman for affording him an opportunity of
justifying his character of benevolent autocrat. He would have said
more, but at this moment the door opened and Sir Rufus entered the
room, looking as fierce and angry as he dared to look in the presence
of his royal master. He knew well enough that Brilliana's interview
with the King was likely to mean mischief to his schemes, and his
rage and hate tore at his life-strings like wild beasts.

An impish malice lurked on Charles's lips. This discomfiture of the
truculent Rufus supplied for him the comic element of his
entertainment, and came just in the nick of time to prevent its
heroics and its sentimentalities from palling.

"Sir Rufus," said the King, gravely, "we ride at once to Oxford, our
loyal, loving Oxford. Take order for this on the instant. The Lady
Brilliana resumes her command of Loyalty House, with our royal thanks
for her man's spirit and our royal sympathy for her woman's heart. As
for the stranger within our gates, we have of our clemency giv