in regard to his proceedings
proposed for the following day. But neither upon that, nor upon the
subject of the note to Lord Sherbrooke, would Green speak another
word, till, on arriving at the gates of Beaufort House, he said--
"Remember High Halstow."

CHAPTER XXI.
It was night, and the large assembly of persons who had thronged the
palace at Kensington during the day had taken their departure.
Silence had returned after the noise and bustle of the sunshine had
subsided; scarcely a sound was heard throughout the whole building,
except the porter snoring in the hall. The King himself had taken his
frugal supper, and was sitting alone in his cabinet with merely a
page at the door; his courtiers were scattered in their different
apartments; and his immediate attendants were waiting in the distant
chambers where he slept, for the hour of his retiring to rest.
Such had been the state of things for some little time, when the
great bell rang, and the porter started up to open the door. A
gentleman on horseback appeared without, accompanied by two others,
apparently servants; and the principal personage demanded, in a tone
of authority, "Is the Earl of Portland in the palace?"
The porter, though not well pleased to be roused, replied, with every
sort of deference to the air and manner of the visitor, saying that
the Earl was in the palace, but he believed was unwell.
"I am afraid I must disturb him," said the stranger. "My business is
of too much importance to his lordship to wait till to-morrow
morning."
The porter then gave the speaker another look: the dress, the
demeanour, the horses, the attendants, were all such as commanded
respect, although he did not recollect the stranger's face. "Well,
sir," he said, "if you will come in, I will have his lordship
informed."
The stranger nodded his head, and turning to his followers, bade them
take away the horses. "I will walk back," he said, and then following
the porter, entered the palace. The janitor led him onward through
some large folding doors to a room where two or three servants were
sitting, into whose hands he delivered him, bidding one of them
conduct him to the page in waiting. This was speedily done; and the
page, on being informed of the stranger's desire, again examined him
somewhat curiously, and asked his name.
"That matters not," replied the stranger. "Tell him merely that it is
a gentleman to whom he rendered great service many years ago, and who
has now important intelligence to give