ered absently. He was closely casting his
eyes over Culpepper. Culpepper lay very still, his begrimed face to the
sky, his hands abroad above his head. But when Lascelles bent over him
it was as if he shuddered, and then he wept.

Lascelles bent down, his hands upon his knees. He was afraid--he was
very afraid. Thomas Culpepper, the Queen's cousin, he had never seen in
his life. But he had heard it reported that he had red hair and beard,
and went always dressed in green with stockings of red. And this man's
hair was red, and his beard, beneath coal grime, was a curly red, and
his coat, beneath a crust of black filth, was Lincoln green and of a
good cloth. And, beneath the black, his stockings were of red silk. He
reflected slowly, whilst the bearers laughed amongst themselves at this
Queen's kinsman in rags and filth.

Lascelles gave them his bottle of sack to drink empty among them, that
he might have the longer time to think.

If this were indeed the Queen's cousin, come unknown to the Queen and
mazed and muddled in himself to Pontefract, what might not Lascelles
make of him? For all the world knew that he loved her with a mad
love--he had sold farms to buy her gowns. It was he that had brought her
to Court, upon an ass, at Greenwich, when her mule--as all men knew--had
stumbled upon the threshold. Once before, it was said, Culpepper had
burst in with his sword drawn upon the King and Kate Howard when they
sat together. And Lascelles trembled with eagerness at the thought of
what use he might not make of this mad and insolent lover of the
Queen's!

But did he dare?

Culpepper had been sent into Scotland to secure him up, away at the
farthest limits of the realm. Then, if he was come back? This grime was
the grime of a sea-coal ship! He knew that men without passports,
outlaws and the like, escaped from Scotland on the Durham ships that
went to Leith with coal. And this man came on the Durham road. Then....

If it were Culpepper he had come unpermitted. He was an outlaw. Dare
Lascelles have trade with--dare he harbour--an outlaw? It would be
unbeknown to the Queen's Highness! He kicked his heels with impatience
to come to a resolution.

He reflected swiftly:

What hitherto he had were: some tales spread abroad about the Queen's
lewd Court--tales in London Town. He had, too, the keeper of the Queen's
door bribed and talked into his service and interest. And he had his
sister....

His sister would, with thre