He had but the wish to make himself agreeable, and to while away the
time. Esther, however, misunderstood him.

Willoughby's hand lay palm downwards on his knee, and she, noticing a
ring which he wore on his little finger, took hold of it.

'What a funny ring!' she said; 'let's look?'

To disembarrass himself of her touch, he pulled the ring off and gave
it her to examine.

'What's that ugly dark green stone?' she asked.

'It's called a sardonyx.'

'What's it for?' she said, turning it about.

'It's a signet ring, to seal letters with.'

'An' there's a sorter king's head scratched on it, an' some writin' too,
only I carnt make it out?'

'It isn't the head of a king, although it wears a crown,' Willoughby
explained, 'but the head and bust of a Saracen against whom my ancestor
of many hundred years ago went to fight in the Holy Land. And the words
cut round it are our motto, "Vertue vauncet", which means virtue
prevails.'

Willoughby may have displayed some accession of dignity in giving this
bit of family history, for Esther fell into uncontrolled laughter, at