arched satin shoe, as her dress caught about a stool that held it. The
short round waist betrayed the fulness of her form, and Cedric turned
his eyes away from sheer giddiness, drunk with love. He spoke to
Janet with quick breath:--"Bring her down to see the game."--Then,
suddenly,--"Where are thy jewels, Kate?" He espied a casket, and
hastening to it took from it rings, fitting them upon Mistress
Penwick's tapering fingers, until her hand was heavy. Of other jewels
she'd have none. "But thou must have a shoulder knot," said Cedric,
and he took from the casket a glittering shoulder brooch of opals and
clasped it in the satin of her frock, and drew from a tripod of white
and gold a flaming jacqueminot and gave it into her hand and led her
forth, followed closely by Janet. Down the great stairway he led
her proudly, through corridor and passage, until they reached the
servants' hall, where the clamour of voices and baying hounds was like
pandemonium; and at the sound Mistress Penwick drew back with fear.
For a moment Cedric was sorely tried to keep from bending to those
rose-bowed lips. She saw him hesitate, and stammered forth:

"Lead on, my lord!"

He swung open the door and instantly all eyes were set upon his fair
ward. First his Lordship's face was exultant, then seeing Mistress
Penwick's glances that pierced every masculine heart, and her dazzling
beauty drunk in by all; his face grew dark, and jealousy possessed
him, and fear crept in, and he vowed to wed her at the earliest
moment.

"'Tis Sir John Penwick's daughter, Mistress Katherine Penwick, my
father's ward," and he led her to their midst.