What they saw was a riderless horse—a monstrous sorrel horse—galloping across the glade, with the stirrups flying loose. "The King—his horse!" exclaimed Mr. Prior breathlessly. Lord Buckhurst said nothing; he turned and ran swiftly towards where the animal had come from. Cumbered as he was with sword, full extravagant vesture, and a wide-bottomed peruke, youth brought him easily over the ground, and in a few minutes he came to the spot he made for—a little clearing beyond the great trees of the avenue, with Mr. Prior breathless at his heels. They saw there what they had been dreading to see: the King lying on the ground, and the two frightened grooms coming up, one dismounted and in an embarrassment to know what to do with his horse, the other giving doleful exclamations and cries for help. William had raised himself on one elbow, and was holding a handkerchief to his mouth. Buckhurst and Prior rushed up to him. "Are you hurt, sire?" cried my lord. The King removed the handkerchief from his lips; it was scarlet with blood. "No," he answered. "The brute threw me over that molehill—the first time, my lord, I have been thrown——" He put his hand to the shoulder on which he had fallen. "Something broken, I think," he said, in a fainter voice. "They were right—I overestimated my skill—I have not the seat—I—once—had." My lord endeavoured to raise him, tenderly enough; but at the attempt to move the King’s face went of an ashy colour, and he fainted with pain. "This is the end," murmured my lord. "Take him up, Mr. Prior—dear God, I think this is the end." With the aid of the two servants, who had now left their horses, they carried him back, by easy degrees, into the Palace, and his own apartments. Before the doctor could be called he came to his senses and asked for Albemarle. On being told he had arrived, he bid him rest a little before he delivered his news, and, having sent the message, called M. Zulestein to bring him his yet unfinished letter to M. Heinsius. When it was brought, and quill and ink, he sat up in his great chair with arms, and added painfully these words: "God be praised, all difficulties are overcome," and his name. He bid them, in a broken whisper, send off this letter immediately, and fell back again in his chair, very white and frowning. The alarmed gentlemen were for his seeing the doctor immediately, but he desired to give Albemarle his audience first. My lord came on the instant, spurred and dusty, and all in a reek from travel. He entered, with a breathless air of dread, the throne-room, where they had brought the King. William was seated in a great low chair of red velvet, in front of the blue dais and throne, which bore in silver the Royal arms and the motto of Nassau: "Je Maintaindrai." He still wore his buff hunting-coat with the gold galloon on the wide skirt and the tight doeskin boots with the gilt spurs; his waistcoat was open on his laced shirt, and he held his right hand over his heart.