husband never be warned of it?"

"I promised her," he began.

"What care I for your promises?" she asked. "I will tell him,
so that he may yet go after her and bring her back."

"You shall not," he insisted, gripping her more closely. But
at that moment a delicately mocking voice greeted their ears.

"Marry, 'tis vastly diverting to hear you," it said. They
looked round, to find one of the party of town sparks that had
halted at the inn standing arms akimbo in the narrow passage,
clearly waiting for them to make room. "A touching sight,
sir," said he sardonically to the landlord. "A wondrous
touching sight to behold a man of your years playing the
turtle-dove to his good wife like the merest fledgeling. It
grieves me to intrude myself so harshly upon your cooing,
though if you'll but let me pass you may resume your chaste
embrace without uneasiness, for I give you my word I'll never
look behind me."

Abashed, the landlord and his dame fell apart. Then, ere the
gentleman could pass her, Mistress Quinn, like a true
opportunist, sped swiftly down the passage and into the common
room before her husband could again detain her.

Now, within the common room of the Suffolk Arms Sir Crispin sat
face to face with a very pretty fellow, all musk and ribbons,
and surrounded by some half-dozen gentlemen on their way to