and laid her brow against the wood. Cecily, gazing down upon her, saw
her cheek glow pure carnation, saw the quivering of the long eyelashes
and the happy trembling of the lip. Presently the wave of color fled;
she unclosed her eyes, raised her head. "But there was something, was
there not, to be borne?... God forgive me, I had forgot that I have
a brother!"

Cecily, whose courage was ebbing, began to deal in evasions. "Indeed I
know not as to thy brother. I am not sure ... mayhap I did not hear him
named.... They said so many things--all might not be true."

Damaris arose from the settle. "I will have thy meaning, Cis. 'They said
so many things.'--Who are they'?"

Cecily bit her lip, and dashed away fast-starting tears. "Oh, Damaris,
all who have heard--all the court--his friends and thine and his foes.
The matter's all abroad. The Queen hath letters from Sir John Nevil--he
hath been sent for to the Privy Council--"

"Sir John Nevil hath been sent for?--Why not Sir Mortimer Ferne?... Is
he ill? Is he wounded?"

Cecily wrung her hands. "Now I must tell thee.... It is his honor that
doth suffer. There is a thing that he did.--He hath confessed, or surely
there were no believing ... Damans, they call him traitor.... Ah!"

"Ay, and I'll strike thee again an thou say that again!" cried Damaris.

The younger woman shrank before the angry eyes, the disdain of the
smiling lips. Abruptly Damaris moved from the frightened girl. Upon the