ion, and she hoped that she could procure Brandon's liberty
through Buckingham without revealing her dangerous secret.

Much to the duke's surprise, she smiled upon him and gave a cordial
welcome, saying: "My lord, you have been unkind to us of late and have
not shown us the light of your countenance. I am glad to see you once
more; tell me the news."

"I cannot say there is much of interest. I have learned the new dance
from Caskoden, if that is news, and hope for a favor at our next ball
from the fairest lady in the world."

"And quite welcome," returned Mary, complacently appropriating the
title, "and welcome to more than one, I hope, my lord."

This graciousness would have looked suspicious to one with less vanity
than Buckingham, but he saw no craft in it. He did see, however, that
Mary did not know who had attacked her in Billingsgate, and he felt
greatly relieved.

The duke smiled and smirked, and was enchanted at her kindness. They
walked down the corridor, talking and laughing, Mary awaiting an
opportunity to put the important question without exciting suspicion.
At last it came, when Buckingham, half inquiringly, expressed his
surprise that Mary should be found sitting at the king's door.

"I am waiting to see the king," said she. "Little Caskoden's friend,
Brandon, has been arrested for a brawl of some sort over in London,
and Sir Edwin and Lady Jane have importuned me to obtain his release,
which I have promised to do. Perhaps your grace will allow me to
petition you in place of carrying my request to the king. You are
quite as powerful as his majesty in London, and I should like to ask
you to obtain for Master Brandon his liberty at once. I shall hold
myself infinitely obliged, if your lordship will do this for me." She
smiled upon him her sweetest smile, and assumed an indifference that
would have deceived any one but Buckingham. Upon him, under the
circumstances, it was worse than wasted. Buckingham at once consented,
and said, that notwithstanding the fact that he did not like Brandon,
to oblige her highness, he would undertake to befriend a much more
disagreeable person.

"I fear," he said, "it will have to be done secretly--by conniving at
his escape rather than by an order for his release. The citizens are
greatly aroused over the alarming frequency of such occurrences, and
as many of the offenders have lately escaped punishment by reason of
court interference, I fear this man Brandon will hav