r side, you know,--quite on the other side. But now I bethink
me, I am only telling you what I should tell you were I upon your side.
There's no harm in that, I hope, no disloyalty to my Lord Carnal's
interests which happen to be my interests?"

I made no answer. I gave him credit both for his ignorance of the very
hornbook of honor and for his large share of the milk of human kindness.

"My lord grows restive," he said, when we had gone a little further.
"The Francis and John, coming in yesterday, brought court news. Out of
sight, out of mind. Buckingham is making hay while the sun shines. Useth
angel water for his complexion, sleepeth in a medicated mask such as the
Valois used, and is grown handsomer than ever; changeth the fashion of
his clothes thrice a week, which mightily pleaseth his Majesty. Whoops
on the Spanish match, too, and, wonderful past all whooping, from the
prince's detestation hath become his bosom friend. Small wonder if my
Lord Carnal thinks it's time he was back at Whitehall."

"Let him go, then," I said. "There's his ship that brought him here."

"Ay, there 's his ship," rejoined Master Pory. "A few weeks more, and
the Due Return will be here with the Company's commands. D' ye think,
Captain Percy, that there's the slightest doubt as to their tenor?"

"No."

"Then my lord has but to possess his soul with patience and wait for the
Due Return. No doubt he'll do so."

"No doubt he'll do so," I echoed.

By this we had reached the Secretary's own door. "Fortune favor you with
the Paspaheghs!" he said, with another mighty yawn. "As for me, I'll
to bed. Do you ever dream, Captain Percy? I don't; mine is too good a
conscience. But if I did, I should dream of an Italian doctor."

The door shut upon his red face and bright eyes. I walked rapidly on
down the street to the minister's house. The light was very pale as yet,
and house and garden lay beneath a veil of mist. No one was stirring. I
went on through the gray wet paths to the stable, and roused Diccon.

"Saddle Black Lamoral quickly," I ordered. "There's trouble with the
Paspaheghs, and I am off with Master Rolfe to settle it."

"Am I to go with you?" he asked.

I shook my head. "We have a dozen men. There's no need of more."

I left him busy with the horse, and went to the house. In the hall I
found the negress strewing the floor with fresh rushes, and asked her
if her mistress yet slept. In her soft half English, half Spanish, she
ans