n it; there!"

"I wish it were so," sighed Dorothy, "for I love him dearly."

"It is so, assuredly it is," replied her companion, decisively. "Let
me give him a hint, my lady."

"No, Lettice, not another word; don't breathe it to a soul unless I
bid thee."

"My Will could do it," continued the other, "an you would but let him
try. He can do anything that way, Will can."

"Be quiet, Lettice; and mind you take care of your tongue. No one must
even so much as guess at the truth; there, begone."

"Happen you would like to see if they have settled the matter?"
suggested the tire-maid; "let us go and see."

Dorothy willingly agreed, and away they went through room after room,
until at last Lettice stopped.

"Let me open the window," she said; "we shall hear better here than
anywhere else," and she stepped upon a chair and silently pushed the
latticed window open. The balmy breeze came pouring into the room,
bringing in with it the sound of the conversation from outside.

"That's splendid," she said. "Now, my lady, listen."

"I tell you it's of no use, Sir Henry. I don't believe a word of it."

"Nevertheless, Sir George, it's perfectly true."

"Well, I cannot believe it," returned the baron, sharply, "but all
the same, you will have to fight him now. We shall make quite a grand
affair of it; 'tis a rare long time since there was a tournament at
Haddon."

"I had rather it passed off quietly," suggested De la Zouch, who was
by no means confident of his own prowess in a stern contest with naked
weapons. "It is only by thy direct command that I have consented to
enter the lists to fight him. 'Tis more a case for the assize than for
thee. Sir George, and I have my honour to maintain."

"You must let that remain with me," replied the baron. "Eustace is
but a page, and as Manners rightly enough pointed out, his word would
count for little in such a circumstance. But apart from all such
considerations, I flatly tell you, Sir Henry, that I don't for a
minute think him guilty. The ordeal--"

"Tut, bother the ordeal," broke in De la Zouch, who was rapidly losing
control of his temper. "Then you doubt me?"

"You are rash, sir knight," interrupted Lady Maude. "You do not do
proper justice to the baron."

"Hark! what's that?" whispered Lettice, "There's someone coming."

"Inside?"

"No, don't you hear them coming on the gravel?"

"Listen," exclaimed Doll, nervously, "'twas but Eustace, the page,
stealing away; he's