Heiress of Haddon

t had fall'n wh

anger in this b

irit from an

rk imaginings

perils he by c

caped

had fallen by the rough hand of the ostler, which alighted upon his shoul

ady familiarity was becoming exceedingly d

ith them a plentiful supply of fruit and provisions, they were already busily engaged in discussing them; whilst the more select company, which paid a higher price and represented the

usicians, who, after making their bow to the audience, passed along the stage and made their exit through a doorway at the other end. A profou

an involuntary smile stole across his fac

play commenced, "and Sir Henry, too; see! Hang him, that's old Boniface r

ace?" meekly

nd your friends are with hi

It would never do for them to see me here," he explained; "it w

and began to toss the hay about. "Take care of yourself, sir, for he's coming up

lf hidden from view behind the stack in the further-most corner of the loft. Barely had he succeeded in ensconcing himself there, when footsteps were heard

th his fork, to convey the impression that he was busily enga

d him a nod of approval, but a bundle of straw which the ostler purposely tossed at him fr

uted a voice from below

ll y

sly awaited the result. Glancing round to see that Edmund was completely buried from sigh

ur time in looking at puppet-shows. How dare you, sir; how dare you? Get you gone, sirrah!" an

ed to the baron and Sir Thomas and conducted them to a seat so lately vacated b

le of hay which stood beside the wall. "Perhaps your lordships will be pleased to seat yo

othing loth, accepte

er knight. "I will get you one of a convenient size; most of them are far too big to be comfortable,

ich covered the gap where Edmund Wynne lay hidden. Having once selected this he proceeded straightway to

his feet that amount of support which, of all men, the stouter ones are supposed most to require. This being so, it was not surprising

than thou should'st break thy neck, or I might

ll, some folks like one thing and some an

bleman been possessed of a better acquaintance with him," he said, "he would have known that it was not in his nature to be overcome by trifles. Things, thank goodness, w

aded. As the other advanced and the unstable walls of his shelter quivered until they threatened to fall upon him, he crouched down further and further into the corner, preferring rather to be buried under the solid squares of hay than to be discovered in such a position. S

ject of his toil; but Edmund as he felt the protecting roof of hay departing, sn

d not move an inch, and he was about to give it up in disgust and offer

too, perchance. Let me get it out. Odd's fish, my good fellow, b

one chance left, and although it promised a little hope of success, he deemed his position desperate enough to warrant him in attempting it. He decided to leap out simulta

o neatly arranged. Instinctively he threw his arms up to clutch the rope again, but it was too late, it had already passed beyond his reach; there was nothing left to save him. Another mo

for his arms were tightly wedged underneath him, while his legs had found a resting place between two lots of hay, at a height somewhat above the level of his head. One thing, and one alone, was at his command. He could at least, he thought, remain quietly there, an unwilling eavesdropper, until his persecutors h

red Sir George, to whom the circumlocutio

proudly at the brilliant company assembled in the yard below, wondering

ly, but the groan was none the les

ed the astonished ba

d within the hear

annot see a play like this at any time you choose. Stay awhile

wn," added the host; "there is

itate his judgment, and then he did what so many other troubled ones have done, both before hi

"the ale is good, as Lond

ern-keeper promptly. "There's

der," continued the baron,

oprietor of the Cock; "and sure I am, 'twi

. I will trust none to spice my drink except it be Lady M

some simple sack,

crowd into the tavern, while Sir Thomas Stanley, left to his own devices, continued to lie q

cupant of the room. He waited for a moment or two, and then, as the silence confirmed him in his opinion, he began to make strenuous efforts to free himself

ill of triumph to which his new-born hopes of liberty had given birth, died a

so intently had he fixed his attention upon the scene which was being acted on the stage before him, that he was in complete ignorance of the events which were transpiring in his rear. Edmund wistfully cast

cky man's mind which promised any fair successes, and that

eady to venture willingly back into the torture-chamber from which he had just escaped, even if he could safely have regained its shelter-in itself no mean feat; and at the bare i

, withdrew his head into the room and rolled over upon his back, leaving Edmund so little time in which to screen hims

ind that no one had entered the room. He went to the ladder to satisfy himself, but meeting with a like measure of ill-su

founded rats. What a time they are gone, to be sure," and as a last resour

s passion he could find no satisfactory answer to the question. There were powerful reasons both for and against such a plan. Sir Thomas was seriously jeopardising his present safety; but would his death at all affect the baron? Margaret would feel it, mayhap, and so might Sir George to some extent, but he was fully aware that Sir Ronald's aim would be by no means compassed by such a termination; nor was he at all certain his own desir