dignation I had brought with me.

"How did you expect to see or hear from him," asked I, "when he was
lying in a loathsome dungeon without one ray of light, condemned to be
hanged, drawn and quartered, because of your selfish neglect to save
him who, at the cost of half his blood, and almost his life, had saved
so much for you?"

Her eyes grew big, and the tears were checked by genuine surprise.

I continued: "Lady Mary, no one could have made me believe that you
would stand back and let the man, to whom you owed so great a debt,
lie so long in such misery, and be condemned to such a death for the
act that saved you. I could never have believed it!"

"Imp of hell!" screamed Mary; "what tale is this you bring to torture
me? Have I not enough already? Tell me it is a lie, or I will have
your miserable little tongue torn out by the root."

"It is no lie, princess, but an awful truth, and a frightful shame to
you."

I was determined to tell her all and let her see herself as she was.

She gave a hysterical laugh, and throwing up her hands, with her
accustomed little gesture, fell upon the bed in utter abandonment,
shaking as with a spasm. She did not weep; she could not; she was past
that now. Jane went over to the bed and tried to soothe her.

In a moment Mary sprang to her feet, exclaiming: "Master Brandon
condemned to death and you and I here talking and moaning and weeping?
Come, come, we will go to the king at once. We will start to walk,
Edwin--I must be doing something--and Jane can follow with the horses
and overtake us. No; I will not dress; just as I am; this will do.
Bring me a hat, Jane; any one, any one." While putting on hat and
gloves she continued: "I will see the king at once and tell him all!
all! I will do anything; I will marry that old king of France, or
forty kings, or forty devils; it's all one to me; anything! anything!
to save him. Oh! to think that he has been in that dungeon all this
time." And the tears came unheeded in a deluge.

She was under such headway, and spoke and moved so rapidly, that I
could not stop her until she was nearly ready to go. Then I held her
by the arm while I said:

"It is not necessary now; you are too late."

A look of horror came into her face, and I continued slowly: "I
procured Brandon's release nearly a week ago; I did what you should
have done, and he is now at our rooms in Greenwich."

Mary looked at me a moment, and, turning pale, pressed her hands t