"But shall we not go to-night, Giles? Her Ladyship will be so disturbed by my absence." "Your arrival would disturb her more at this hour, surely, Dick? The officers I send will keep her--her household safe until morning, and one of them, when he has seen that all is well, shall ride back even to-night and report to us." They were going down the passage that led from the King's rooms to the hall. In the hall the guard saluted Giles, and looked somewhat sourly at Dick. "Giles," said Dick, pulling his friend back as he was turning towards the door, "there's Lionel! I have but just recalled him." "Who and what--" began Giles. "He brought me here," Dick hurriedly explained. "He's a man of my Lord Newcastle's. I want to thank him now." He had dragged Giles to the foot of the steps. "I'd never have got here but for him. Will you come, Giles? He's up here." "I'll thank him myself, do you leave me breath enough," said Giles good-humouredly. The corridor above was crowded with noblemen's and ladies' servants and pages, some playing cards, some sitting, some standing, but all, it seemed to Dick, talking at once. He could not see Lionel anywhere. He would have pressed through the throng to seek him, but that, it appeared, was not Giles's way. Drawing Dick back he said quietly, but in a voice that stilled the tumult, and travelled down the corridor and into the passage beyond: "Is there here a man of my Lord Newcastle's--one Lionel?" In the silence, Lionel, on a bench in a corner, whispered to Prince Rupert's page: "There! Farewell, sir! I'm dead!--dismissed!--undone!" "Serves you right," said the page sweetly. "Don't mind my toes--a dead man has his privileges." "There he is," said Dick, as Lionel, looking by no means cheerful, came out of the listening and looking crowd. Dick darted forward, shook hands with him, and overwhelmed him with thanks. Then Giles stretched his hand to the embarrassed youth. "There are my thanks, too, my friend," he said. "This is Sir Richard Chester, and we are all right glad to have him here." "And I'm in no trouble, my lord?" Lionel gasped, turning the gold pieces Giles had left in his palm. "Not a breath," said Giles. "Who'll bear the torch?" Dick asked. "What will my Lord Newcastle say when he finds no boy at all with you, Lionel?" "Eh?" Giles said, "what torch?" Dick explained, and Lionel looked a little doubtful and distressed. "Oh, say to his lordship I stole his torchbearer!" Giles said coolly. "Say it was Sir Richard Chester, my man. He will hold you without blame. Good-night!" "What think you to those?" Lionel asked, as, having pushed his way through the curious crowd, he sat down again by the page, and spread out his gold pieces. "Bribes," said the page, sniffing. "Who is the child?" "The child who held Dent Castle, and disappeared from Lumley." The page whistled. "Oh, Lionel! a perfect gold-mine! I wish that I'd discovered and recovered the pretty treasure."