ting with passion which was resolute to overleap every obstacle in
its way, which had reached the hour when it would see none, hear of
none, submit to none, but sweep forward to its goal as though 'twere
wind or flame.

A short hour later all the town knew that my Lady Dunstanwolde had
sealed her brilliant fate. And 'twas not Sir John Oxon who was
conqueror, but his Grace of Osmonde, who, it seemed, had swept down
upon her and taken possession of his place by her side as a King might
have descended on some citadel and claimed it for his own. Great
Heaven! what a thing it had been to behold, and how those congratulated
themselves who had indeed beheld it--my lord Duke appearing upon the
scene as if by magic, he who had been known to be in France, and who
came almost at full gallop beneath the trees, plainly scarce seeing the
startled faces turned at the sound of his horse's hoofs, the hats which
were doffed at sight of him, the fair faces which lighted, the lovely,
hurried courtesies made, his own eyes being fixed upon a certain point
on the riding-road where groups stood about and her ladyship of
Dunstanwolde sat erect and glowing upon the back of her conquered
beast, the black horse Devil!

"Zounds, 'twas like a play!" cried Sir Christopher, gloating over it
when 'twas past. "There rides my lady like an empress, Devil going as
dainty as a dancing-master, and all the grandees doffing hats to her
down the line. And of a sudden one man hears hoofs pounding and turns,
and there he comes, my lord Duke of Osmonde, and he sees but one
creature and makes straight for her--and she doth not even hear him
till he is close upon her, and then she turns--blushing, good Lord! the
loveliest crimson woman ever wore. And in each other's eyes they gaze
as if Heaven's gate had opened, and 'twas not earth that was beneath
their horses' feet, and both forgot that poor plain flesh and blood
stood looking on!"

"Lud!" minced Lady Betty, applauding with her fan. "We must have it
made into a play and Mrs. Bracegirdle shall perform it."

"My old heart thumped to see it!" said Sir Chris; "it thumped, I
swear!" and he gave his stout side a feeling blow. "All her days I have
known her, and it came back to me how, when she was but a vixen of
twelve we dubbed her Duchess, and, ecod! the water came into my eyes!"

"Because she was a vixen, or because you called her Duchess?" said my
Lady Betty, with her malicious little air.

Sir Christopher