strangely upon one so tiny, caused the young woman at times to turn her

head from him that he might not see the smiles which she could scarce

repress.

Presently the boy took a ball from his tunic, and, pointing at a little

bush near them, said, "Stand you there, Lady Maud, by yonder bush. I would

play at toss."

The young woman did as she was bid, and when she had taken her place and

turned to face him the boy threw the ball to her. Thus they played beneath

the windows of the armory, the boy running blithely after the ball when he

missed it, and laughing and shouting in happy glee when he made a

particularly good catch.

In one of the windows of the armory overlooking the garden stood a grim,

gray, old man, leaning upon his folded arms, his brows drawn together in a

malignant scowl, the corners of his mouth set in a stern, cold line.

He looked upon the garden and the playing child, and upon the lovely young

woman beneath him, but with eyes which did not see, for De Vac was working

out a great problem, the greatest of all his life.

For three days, the old man had brooded over his grievance, seeking for

some means to be revenged upon the King for the insult which Henry had put

upon him. Many schemes had presented themselves to his shrewd and cunning

mind, but so far all had been rejected as unworthy of the terrible

satisfaction which his wounded pride demanded.

His fancies had, for the most part, revolved about the unsettled political

conditions of Henry's reign, for from these he felt he might wrest that

opportunity which could be turned to his own personal uses and to the harm,

<<BackPagesTo menuNext>>