"Saddle me a horse," cried Crispin, leaping to his feet, and
pitching Mr. Foster's trinket upon the table as though it were
a thing of no value. "Towards Denham you say they rode?
Quick, man!" And as the host departed he swept the gold and
the ring he had won into his pockets preparing to depart.

"Hoity toity!" cried Mr. Foster. "What sudden haste is this?"

"I am sorry, sir, that Fortune has been unkind to you, but I
must go. Circumstances have arisen which - "

"D -n your circumstances!" roared Foster, get ting on his feet.
"You'll not leave me thus!"

"With your permission, sir, I will."

"But you shall not have my permission!"

"Then I shall be so unfortunate as to go without it. But I
shall return."

"Sir, 'tis an old legend, that!"

Crispin turned about in despair. To be embroiled now might
ruin everything, and by a miracle he kept his temper. He had a
moment to spare while his horse was being saddled.

"Sir," he said, "if you have upon your pretty person trinkets
to half the value of what I have won from you, I'll stake the