ow as hale and hearty as ever he
had been, we being persuaded to rest at Chatham yet another week, to
give countenance to Jack's late distemper, and also that we might appear
less like a gang of thieves.

Before going, Don Sanchez warned us that very likely Simon would pay us
a visit suddenly, to satisfy any doubts that might yet crop up in his
suspicious mind; and so, to be prepared for him, I got in a good store
of paper and books, such as a merchant might require in seeking to
reestablish himself in business, and Dawson held himself in readiness to
do his share of this knavish business.

Sure enough, about three days after this, the drawer, who had been
instructed to admit no one to my chamber without my consent, comes up to
say that the little old man in leather, with the weak eyes, would see
me; so I bade him in a high voice bid Mr. Simon step up, and setting
myself before my table of paper, engage in writing a letter (already
half writ), while Dawson slips out into the next room.

"Take a seat, Mr. Steward," says I, when Simon entered, cap in hand, and
casting a very prying, curious look around. "I must keep you a minute or
two"; and so I feign to be mighty busy, and give him scope for
observation.

"Well, sir," says I, finishing my letter with a flourish, and setting it
aside. "How do you fare?"

He raised his hands, and dropped them like so much lead on his knees,
casting up his eyes and giving a doleful shake of his head for a reply.

"Nothing is amiss at the Court, I pray--your lady Mistress Godwin is
well?"

"I know not, friend," says he. "She hath taken my keys, denied me
entrance to her house, and left me no privilege of my office save the
use of the lodge house. Thus am I treated like a faithless servant,
after toiling night and day all these years, and for her advantage,
rather than mine own."

"That has to be proved, Mr. Steward," says I, severely; "for you must
admit that up to this present she has had no reason to love you, seeing
that, had her fate been left in your hands, she would now be in Barbary,
and like to end her days there. How, then, can she think but that you
had some selfish, wicked end in denying her the service we, who are
strangers, have rendered her?"

"Thee speakest truth, friend, and yet thee knowest that I observed only
the righteous prudence of an honest servant."

"We will say no more on that head, but you may rest assured on my
promise--knowing as I do the noble, gen