"I come at this hour and at this place," said the newcomer, "for reasons
which may seem good a little later. My name is John Law, of Edinboro',
sir."

All those present arose.

"Sir," responded Pembroke, "I am delighted to have your name. I know of
the acquaintance between your father and my own. These are friends of
mine, and I am delighted to name ye to each other. Mr. Charles
Castleton; Mr. Edward Wilson. We are all here to kill the ancient enemy,
Time. 'Tis an hour of night when one gains an appetite for one thing or
another, cards or cold joint. I know not why we should not have a bit of
both?"

"With your permission, I shall be glad to join ye at either," said John
Law. "I have still the appetite of a traveler--in faith, rather a better
appetite than most travelers may claim, for I swear I've had no more to
eat the last day and night than could be purchased for a pair of
shillings."

Pembroke raised his eyebrows, scarce knowing whether to be amused at
this speech or nettled by its cool assurance.

"Some ill fortune?"--he began politely.

"There is no such thing as ill fortune," quoth John Law. "We fail always
of our own fault. Forsooth I must explore Roman roads by night. England
hath builded better, and the footpads have the Roman ways. My brother
Will--he waiteth below, if ye please, good friends, and is quite as
hungry as myself, besides having a pricked finger to boot--and I lost
what little we had about us, and we came through with scarce a good
shirt between the two."

A peal of laughter greeted him as he pulled apart the lapels of his coat
and showed ruffles torn and disfigured. The speaker smiled gravely.

"To-morrow," said he, "I must seek me out a goldsmith and a haberdasher,
if you will be so good as to name such to me."

"Sir," said Sir Arthur Pembroke, "in this plight you must allow me." He
extended a purse which he drew from his pocket. "I beg you, help
yourself."

"Thank you, no," replied John Law. "I shall ask you only to show me the
goldsmith in the morning, him upon whom I hold certain credits. I make
no doubt that then I shall be quite fit again. I have never in my life
borrowed a coin. Besides, I should feel that I had offended my good
angel did I ask it to help me out of mine own folly. If we have but a
bit of this cold joint, and a place for my brother Will to sit in
comfort as we play, I shall beg to hope, my friends, that I shall be
allowed to stake this trifle against a lit