bear me company, Mr. Caryll?"

Mr. Caryll rose instantly. The earl folded the letter, and turned to
go. His companion paused to pick up the fragments of the button and slip
them into his pocket. He performed the office with a smile on his lips
that was half pity, half contempt. It did not seem to him that there
would be the least need to betray Lord Ostermore once his lordship
was wedded to the Stuart faction. He would not fail to betray himself
through some act of thoughtless stupidity such as this.

In the library--the door, and that of the ante-room beyond it, carefully
closed--his lordship unlocked a secretaire of walnut, very handsomely
inlaid, and, drawing up a chair, he sat down to the perusal of the
king's letter. When he had read it through, he remained lost in thought
a while. At length he looked up and across towards Mr. Caryll, who was
standing by one of the windows.

"You are no doubt a confidential agent, sir," said he. "And you will be
fully aware of the contents of this letter that you have brought me."

"Fully, my lord," answered Mr. Caryll, "and I venture to hope that his
majesty's promises will overcome any hesitation that you may feel."

"His majesty's promises?" said my lord thoughtfully. "His majesty may
never have a chance of fulfilling them."

"Very true, sir. But who gambles must set a stake upon the board.
Your lordship has been something of a gamester already, and--or so I
gather--with little profit. Here is a chance to play another game that
may mend the evil fortunes of the last."

The earl scanned him in surprise. "You are excellent well informed,"
said he, between surprise and irony.

"My trade demands it. Knowledge is my buckler."

His lordship nodded slowly, and fell very thoughtful, the letter before
him, his eyes wandering ever and anon to con again some portion of it.
"It is a game in which I stake my head," he muttered presently.

"Has your lordship anything else to stake?" inquired Mr. Caryll.

The earl looked at him again with a gloomy eye, and sighed, but said
nothing. Mr. Caryll resumed. "It is for your lordship to declare," he
said quite coolly, "whether his majesty has covered your stake. If you
think not, it is even possible that he may be induced to improve his
offer. Though if you think not, for my own part I consider that you set
too high a value on that same head of yours."

Touched in his vanity, Ostermore looked up at him with a sudden frown.
"You take a b