look broke into tenderness at the sight of the misery in the
lad's face.

"Oh, Master Anthony," she cried, seizing his hand, "thank God you are
here. And now what is to be done for him?"

They sat down together in the window-seat. Mary was dressed in an
elaborate rose-coloured costume; but her pretty lips were pale, and her
eyes looked distressed and heavy.

"I have hardly slept," she said, "since Saturday night. Tell me all that
you know."

Anthony told her the whole story, mechanically and miserably.

"Ah," she said, "that was how it was. I understand it now. And what can
we do? You know, of course, that he has been questioned in the Tower."

Anthony turned suddenly white and sick.

"Not the--not the----" he began, falteringly.

She nodded at him mutely with large eyes and compressed lips.

"Oh, my God," said Anthony; and then again, "O God."

She took up one of his brown young hands and pressed it gently between
her white slender ones.

"I know," she said, "I know; he is a gallant gentleman."

Anthony stood up shaking; and sat down again. The horror had goaded him
into clearer consciousness.

"Ah! what can we do?" he said brokenly. "Let me see the Queen. She will
be merciful."

"You must trust to me in this," said Mary, "I know her; and I know that
to go to her now would be madness. She is in a fury with Pinart to-day at
something that has passed about the Duke. You know Monsieur is here; she
kissed him the other day, and the Lord only knows whether she will marry
him or not. You must wait a day or two; and be ready when I tell you."

"But," stammered Anthony, "every hour we wait, he suffers."

"Oh, you cannot tell that," said Mary, "they give them a long rest
sometimes; and it was only yesterday that he was questioned."

Anthony sat silently staring out on the fresh lawn; there was still a
patch of frost under the shadow of the hedge he noticed.

"Wait here a moment," said Mary, looking at him; and she got up and went
out.

Anthony still sat staring and thinking of the horror. Presently Mary was
at his side again with a tall venetian wine-glass brimming with white
wine.

"Here," she said, "drink this,"--and then--"have you dined to-day?"

"There was not time," said Anthony.

She frowned at him almost fiercely.

"And you come here fasting," she said, "to face the Queen! You foolish
boy; you know nothing. Wait here," she added imperiously, and again she
left the room.

Anthony still star