his shoulder. The sneering mask was wiped from his face, which
became blank. "My lord--" he began.

The earl waved a silencing hand, and turned with dignity to Hortensia.

"Come, child," said he. Then he remembered something. "Gad!" he
exclaimed. "I had forgot the parson. I'll have him gaoled! I'll have him
hanged if the law will help me. Come forth, man!"

Ignoring the invitation, Mr. Jenkins scuttled, ratlike, across the
room, mounted the window-seat, and was gone in a flash through the open
window. He dropped plump upon Mr. Green, who was crouching underneath.
The pair rolled over together in the mould of a flowerbed; then Mr.
Green clutched Mr. Jenkins, and Mr. Jenkins squealed like a trapped
rabbit. Mr. Green thrust his fist carefully into the mockparson's mouth.

"Sh! You blubbering fool!" he snapped in his ear. "My business is not
with you. Lie still!"

Within the room all stood at gaze, following the sudden flight of Mr.
Jenkins. Then Lord Ostermore made as if to approach the winnow, but
Hortensia restrained him.

"Let the wretch go," she said. "The blame is not his. What is he but my
lord's tool?" And her eyes scorched Rotherby with such a glance of
scorn as must have killed any but a shameless man. Then turning to the
demurely observant gentleman who had done her such good service, "Mr.
Caryll" she said, "I want to thank you. I want my lord, here, to thank
you."

Mr. Caryll bowed to her. "I beg that you will not think of it," said he.
"It is I who will remain in your debt."

"Is your name Caryll, sir?" quoth the earl. He had a trick of fastening
upon the inconsequent, though that was scarcely the case now.

"That, my lord, is my name. I believe I have the honor of sharing it
with your lordship."

"Ye'll belong to some younger branch of the family," the earl supposed.

"Like enough--some outlying branch," answered the imperturbable
Caryll--a jest which only himself could appreciate, and that bitterly.

"And how came you into this?"

Rotherby sneered audibly--in self-mockery, no doubt, as he came to
reflect that it was he, himself, had had him fetched.

"They needed another witness," said Mr. Caryll, "and hearing there was
at the inn a gentleman newly crossed from France, his lordship no doubt
opined that a traveller, here to-day and gone for good tomorrow, would
be just the witness that he needed for the business he proposed. That
circumstance aroused my suspicions, and--"

But the earl, as u