the effect of drawing every one's attention to herself and to Sir
Marmaduke, whom she was thus addressing.

The men ceased playing and gathered nearer. The spell was broken. That
strange and mysterious look vanished from Lady Sue's face; she turned
away from the speakers and idly plucked a few bunches of acorn from an
overhanging oak.

"Of a truth," replied Sir Marmaduke, whose eyes were still steadily
fixed on his ward, "I know as little about the fellow, ma'am, as you do
yourself. He was exiled from France by King Louis for political reasons,
so he explained to the old woman Lambert, with whom he is still lodging.
I understand that he hardly ever sleeps at the cottage, that his
appearances there are short and fitful and that his ways are passing
mysterious.... And that is all I know," he added in conclusion, with a
careless shrug of the shoulders.

"Quite a romance!" remarked Mistress Pyncheon dryly.

"You should speak to him, good Sir Marmaduke," said Dame Harrison
decisively, "you are a magistrate. 'Tis your duty to know more of this
fellow and his antecedents."

"Scarcely that, ma'am," rejoined Sir Marmaduke, "you understand ... I
have a young ward living for the nonce in my house ... she is very rich,
and, I fear me, of a very romantic disposition ... I shall try to get
the man removed from hence, but until that is accomplished, I prefer to
know nothing about him ..."

"How wise of you, good Sir Marmaduke!" quoth Mistress Pyncheon with a