caught my
bridle. I saw him start when I lifted my head, as if he were taken aback.
I said nothing, but he led my horse off the road down among the trees
with a deep little thicket where none could see us. As we went I was
thinking like a windmill; for I knew I had seen the little red brooch
before.

"When we reached the little open space, I asked him what he wished with
me.

"'Your purse, madam,' said he.

"'My woman hath it,' said I.

"'Your jewels then, madam,' said he.

"'My woman hath them,' said I, 'save this paste buckle in my hat, to
which you are welcome.' It was diamonds, you know; but I knew he would
not know that.

"'What a mistake,' I said, 'to stop the mistress and let the maid go
free!'

"'Nay,' he said, 'I am glad of it; for at least I will have a dance with
the mistress; and I could not with the maid.'

"'You are welcome to that,' I said, and I slipped off my horse, to humour
him, and even as I slipped off I knew who he was, for although many have
red brooches, and many brown beards turning grey, few have both together;
but I said nothing. And there--will you believe it?--we danced under the
beech-trees like Phyllis and Corydon, or whoever they are that Sidney is
always prating of; or like two fools, I would sooner say. Then when we
had done, I made him a curtsey.

"'Now you must help me up,' said I, and he mounted me without a word, for
he was a stoutish gallant and somewhat out of breath. And then what did
the fool do but try to kiss me, and as he lifted his arm I snatched the
brooch and put spur to my horse, and as we went up the bank I screamed at
him, 'Claude, you fool, go home to your wife and take shame to yourself.'
And when I was near the road I looked back, and he still stood there all
agape."

"And what was his name?" asked Anthony.

"Nay, nay, I have mocked him enough. And I know four Claudes, so you need
not try to guess."

* * * *

When supper was over, Mr. Buxton and Mary walked up and down the south
path of the garden between the yews, while the other two sat just outside
the hall window on a seat placed on the tiled terrace that ran round the
house.

"How I have longed for you to come, Mistress Mary," he said, "and counsel
me of the matter we wrote about. Tell me what to do."

Mary looked meditatively out to the strip of moon that was rising out to
the east in the June sky. Then she looked tenderly at her friend.

"I