arrel with you until I
have done my duty to my Sovereign and have seen him safe in London.
Then I shall be most willing to meet you, with sword, or axe, or
lance--and may God defend the right. Come, Grey, we will ride on
alone."

Gloucester had listened with darkening brow, and the gnawing of under
lip was ominous; but at the last words he threw his horse in front of
the Earl's.

"Ere you depart, my Lord of Scales and Rivers," he said, and smiled
peculiarly, "you must hear me out. Of your rash speech I shall make no
account; and you know full well that a Prince of England breaks no
lance nor crosses sword save on the field of battle, whereon are all
men equal. But I fain would ask if you expect to meet Edward the Fifth
in yonder town?"

"I have already told you that I dispatched a messenger to detain him
until we arrived," retorted the Earl hotly.

"Aye! And later another messenger to hurry him on," said Richard
laconically.

"What proof have you for that?" demanded Rivers, reining back.

"This!" replied the Duke sternly, producing the captured letter.

"I see nothing but a bit of parchment; yet well I know that it can be
made to tell strange tales for selfish ends."

"It is parchment, unfortunately for you, my lord, and it tells a
selfish tale," said Gloucester calmly. "It is the letter you
dispatched last night to Edward's Chamberlain, but which was taken by
one of my good Knights, though your Squire died in its defence. You
know its contents--and, mayhap, you also begin to know the depth of
your folly."

"It is evident that I am in the toils of a plot laid by you and yonder
brother-in-law of mine," said the Earl with haughty contempt. "You
have entrapped me; and the deepest folly that I know would be to hope
for justice in such clutches. I am to be sacrificed because, forsooth,
I am dangerous to the conspiracy that you have afoot; and well can I
foresee what the conspiracy designs. . . Yet did I flatter you
overmuch, my Lord of Buckingham; it is no creature of your brain, this
scheme whose end is treason. You are too vain and empty-headed to be
of any service except to aid its execution--and then, later, to be the
leading figure at your own. Your sires were overmuch Lancastrian for
you to be trusted by a son of York--after your usefulness is ended."

Gloucester's stern mouth relaxed in a faint smile, but Buckingham
flushed angrily.

"By the Holy Saints!" he broke out, "were it not that the v