knighthood so big a burden thou dost groan under it?"

"Come here, my lass," he said gently. "Thou art young, but day by day thy
wisdom grows, and I can trust thee. It is better thou shouldst know from
my own lips the peril this knighthood brings, than that trouble should
suddenly fall and thou be unprepared."

Drawing her closely to him he told her the story of his meeting with the
King; of Lord Rippingdale; of the King's threat to levy upon his estates
and to issue a writ of outlawry against him.

For a moment the girl trembled, and Enderby felt her hands grow cold in
his own, for she had a quick and sensitive nature and passionate
intelligence and imagination.

"Father," she cried pantingly, indignantly, "the King would make thee an
outlaw, would seize upon thy estates, because thou wouldst not pay the
price of a paltry knighthood!" Suddenly her face flushed, the blood came
back with a rush, and she stood upon her feet. "I would follow thee to
the world's end rather than that thou shouldst pay one penny for that
honour. The King offered thee knighthood? Why, two hundred years before
the King was born, an Enderby was promised an earldom. Why shouldst thou
take a knighthood now? Thou didst right, thou didst right." Her fingers
clasped in eager emphasis.

"Dost thou not see, my child," said he, "that any hour the King's troops
may surround our house and take me prisoner and separate thee from me? I
see but one thing to do; even to take thee at once from here and place
thee with thy aunt, Mistress Falkingham, in Shrewsbury."