your peace, and quit us now."

Sir Ralf Sadler and his son-in-law both looked suspicious at this
interview, and bade one of the grooms ride after the woman and see
what became of her, but the fellow soon lost right of her in the
broken ground by the river-side.

When the party reached home, there was an anxious consultation of the
inner circle of confidantes over Cicely's story. Neither she nor the
Queen had the least doubt that the stranger was Cuthbert Langston,
who had been employed as an agent of hers for many years past; his
insignificant stature and colourless features eminently fitting him
for it. No concealment was made now that he was the messenger with
the beads and bracelets, which were explained to refer to some ivory
beads which had been once placed among some spare purchased by the
Queen, and which Jean had recognised as part of a rosary belonging to
poor Alison Hepburn, the nurse who had carried the babe from
Lochleven. This had opened the way to the recovery of her daughter.
Mary and Sir Andrew Melville had always held him to be devotedly
faithful, but there had certainly been something of greed, and
something of menace in his language which excited anxiety. Cicely
was sure that his expressions conveyed that he really knew her royal
birth, and meant to threaten her with the consequences, but the few
who had known it were absolutely persuaded that this was impossible,
and believed that he could only surmise that she was of more
importance than an archer's daughter.

He had told the Queen in French that he was in great need, and
expected a reward for his discretion respecting what he had brought
her. And when he perceived the danger of being overheard, he had