stairs together, very friendly; and
he winked upon me as I went out, after paying my account, as if there
were some secret understanding between us.

* * * * *

I had a cold walk back to Covent Garden, remembering with satisfaction,
as I went, that I had not told Mr. Rumbald more particularly where I
lodged; and thinking over what I had heard. It was not a great deal
after all, I thought. When all was said, I had only heard over again
what was known well enough at Court, that my Lord Shaftesbury was behind
this demonstration, and had his finger in the whole affair of Monmouth;
I had but stumbled upon one of those companies, who were known, well
enough, to be everywhere, who were for Monmouth against His Royal
Highness: and I had but seen, what surely might be guessed to
exist,--the accounts of the refreshments supplied to the actors in the
demonstration--and had been told that my Lord's man had paid the score.
There might, indeed, be more behind; but of that I had no evidence at
all; I had received no confidence that could be of any value: and as for
the paper in my skirt-pocket, I valued it no more than a rush; and
wondered I had taken the trouble to secure it.

When I reached my lodgings, I took it out and looked at it again. I had
not even the means of reading it. The name of my Lord Shaftesbury, as I
have said, was written in long-hand three or four times; and the Duke
of Monmouth's twice. There also appeared other names of which I did not
know a great deal, and one at least of which I knew nothing, which was
"College"; though this for all I knew was for a college in an
University. Other names were that of my Lord Essex and John Hampden, and
Algernon Sidney. The paper was about a foot in length and six inches
across; and I thought so little of it--thinking that a paper of
importance would scarcely be entrusted to a man like Rumbald, who threw
them about a tavern--that I was very near throwing it into the fire. But
I kept it--though God knows that afterwards I wished I had not done
so--and slipped it into my pocket-book where I kept three or four
others, intending, when I had an opportunity, to give it to some clerk,
learned in short-hand, to read for me.

And so I went to bed.

CHAPTER III

It was with a very happy heart that the next night, about seven o'clock,
I rode down Hare Street village, and saw the lights of the house shining
through the limes.

It was a very d