ley read it through twice, and then carefully folding
it up, he gave the baron a prolonged inquiring look.

"Well," exclaimed Sir George, "you have read it?"

"I have."

"Is it important?"

"Assuredly it is. What have you done in the matter?"

"Naught, save that I have shown it thee."

"Is that all, Sir George?"

"All! yes. Why?"

"It is valuable; where did you get it?"

"I found it upon the floor under the table. What is it, though?"

"Show me your summons first. You have discovered information, I
believe, which will tide you safely over the trial."

"Eh!" ejaculated the old knight, dropping the bulky summons upon the
table; "found what?"

Sir Thomas returned no answer to the query, for, leaving his companion
to grasp the importance of the words he had just uttered, he spread
out the two documents side by side upon the table and busied himself
in comparing them together.

CHAPTER XV.

SIR GEORGE AT WESTMINSTER.

Go, let the treacherous throw their darts
And sore the good malign
Perjure their conscience, stain their hearts,
To gain their foul design.
Yet shall right triumph at the end;
And virtue fortune shall defend.

ANON.

For some time the two noblemen sat in silence, but at length Sir
Thomas Stanley looked up and gave the baron some very pleasant news.

"You are safe," he said. "You need no longer fear this Nathan Grene,
nor Sir Ronald Bury, nor anybody else for the matter of that; you are
perfectly safe."

Sir George Vernon simply opened his eyes and his mouth wide in sheer
surprise, and seeing that he made no attempt to speak, Sir Thomas
proceeded.

"This is a letter from Grene's own counsel. It is of the utmost
importance. Nathan Grene must have been here yesterday."

"What! at the inn here? This very inn?"

"Aye! and in this very room. Here is his signature, dated yesterday.
Maybe he is above even now."

"Like enough," said the baron fiercely, and he looked as if he would
like to search each separate chamber in the house there and then.

"Listen," said Stanley, "this is what the lawyer says: 'I am doubtful
if, after all, the prosecution will not fall through. The summons was
issued by your direction against "The King of the Peak," whereas it
ought to have read "Sir George Vernon." Warder, who, I hear, is the
agent of the Vernon family, will surely recognise this, and if the
baron refuses to answer the title contained in the summons, then our
case will