o the Lady Barbara, I say, to her daffodil hair, to her violet eyes,
to her poppy lips, to her lily cheeks! Is that lover-like enough? Eh,
Clarence? And I'll add, to the icicle that incloses her heart. May her
peace be unbroken on the road from Camberwell to London."

He raised his wine cup high, glancing frankly at Lindley and at
Treadway, but passing hurriedly over Ashley's scornful lips and
hostile eyes. For Dame Rumor had been right once in a way, and The
Jolly Grig tavern was not the only stronghold that she had invaded
with the assertion that young Ashley had found favor in the Lady
Barbara's eyes; that he had possessed her heart. And an onlooker might
have seen that Ashley's nervous fingers had played an accompaniment
upon his sword-hilt while the lady's name had been on the lips of her
affianced lover and his friends. But not only had the Lady Barbara
commanded Farquhart to have Ashley much in his company, but she had
also commanded Ashley to accept whatever courtesies were offered him
by Lord Farquhart. Each was obeying strictly the lady's commands, one
for the sake of policy, the other for the sake of love.

A short silence fell after the toast had been drunk. The men had
ridden hard and were tired.

"I'm sorry we did not meet the Black Devil, or one of his imps,
ourselves," observed Treadway, yawning and stretching his arms above
his head. "We're not in fashion if we can't report a hold up by this
representative of his Satanic majesty."

"But he'd hardly attack a party as large as ours," cried Lindley.
"Eight against one would be too unequal a fight, even if the one were
the devil himself."

"Have a care, my good Cecil," laughed Farquhart. "You mention the
enemy's name somewhat freely, seeing that we are to escort a lady
through his haunts."

"Ay, but my fingers are crossed, you see, and that closes the devil's
ears. If it really is the devil, we'll have nothing to fear from him."

"The last report is that he held up the bishop's carriage, mounted
escort and all," interrupted Treadway.

"No, no," corrected Lindley; "the fellow merely stopped the bishop's
carriage, escort and all. Then he begged for alms, and the episcopal
blessing! Then he drew the ring from the hand that bestowed the alms
and blessing, and slipped away before the ponderous escort perceived
that the bishop had fainted with terror."

"They say he returned the ring the following day," added Treadway,
"doubling the alms bestowed by th