ions."

"Never you mind about dimensions; make the garments as they are
ordered and keep your mouth shut, if you know what is to your
interest. Do you hear?"

He delivered himself of a labored wink. "I do hear and understand,
too, and my tongue is like the tongue of an obelisk."

In due time I brought the suits to Mary, and they were soon adjusted
to her liking.

The days passed rapidly, till it was a matter of less than a fortnight
until the Royal Hind would sail, and it really looked as if the
adventure might turn out to our desire.

Jane was in tribulation, and thought she ought to be taken along.
This, you may be sure, was touching me very closely, and I began to
wish the whole infernal mess at the bottom of the sea. If Jane went,
his august majesty, King Henry VIII, would be without a Master of the
Dance, just as sure as the stars twinkled in the firmament. It was,
however, soon decided that Brandon would have his hands more than full
to get off with one woman, and that two would surely spoil the plan.
So Jane was to be left behind, full of tribulation and indignation,
firmly convinced that she was being treated very badly.

Although at first Jane was violently opposed to the scheme, she soon
caught the contagious ardor of Mary's enthusiasm, and knowing that her
dear lady's every chance of happiness was staked upon the throw, grew
more reconciled. To a person of Jane's age, this venture for love
offers itself as the last and only cast--the cast for all--and in this
particular case there was enough of romance to catch the fancy of any
girl. Nothing was lacking to make it truly romantic. The exalted
station of at least one of the lovers; the rough road of their true
love; the elopement, and, above all, the elopement to a new world,
with a cosy hut nestling in fragrant shades and glad with the notes of
love from the throats of countless song-birds--what more could a
romantic girl desire? So, to my surprise, Jane became more than
reconciled, and her fever of anticipation and excitement grew apace
with Mary's as the time drew on.

Mary's vanity was delighted with her elopement _trousseau_, for of
course it was of the finest. Not that the quality was better than her
usual wear, but doublet and hose were so different on her. She paraded
for an hour or so before Jane, and as she became accustomed to the new
garb, and as the steel reflected a most beautiful image, she
determined to show herself to Brandon and me. S