that the lad on duty should drink nothing else. The
maid carried a lantern with her, as it was very dark
and the path ran across the open moor.

"Edith Baxter was within thirty yards of the stables,
when a man appeared out of the darkness and called to
her to stop. As he stepped into the circle of yellow
light thrown by the lantern she saw that he was a
person of gentlemanly bearing, dressed in a gray suit
of tweeds, with a cloth cap. He wore gaiters, and
carried a heavy stick with a knob to it. She was most
impressed, however, by the extreme pallor of his face
and by the nervousness of his manner. His age, she
thought, would be rather over thirty than under it.

"'Can you tell me where I am?' he asked. 'I had almost
made up my mind to sleep on the moor, when I saw the
light of your lantern.'

"'You are close to the King's Pyland
training-stables,' said she.

"'Oh, indeed! What a stroke of luck!' he cried. 'I
understand that a stable-boy sleeps there alone every
night. Perhaps that is his supper which you are
carrying to him. Now I am sure that you would not be
too proud to earn the price of a new dress, would
you?' He took a piece of white paper folded up out of
his waistcoat pocket. 'See that the boy has this
to-night, and you shall have the prettiest frock that