I went white hot with wrath as these thoughts rushed over me. For a moment I had the baresark impulse to throw myself upon Stenwold and his gang and die fighting, and it was hard for me to restrain that impulse; yet it would have been madness, suicide, and it would have served no purpose, for it would have thrown Lady Katharine defenceless and without resource into the hands of the enemy. So, although my blood boiled in my veins, I retained an impassive front. Stenwold laughed mockingly. "You play the game well," he said meaningly, "I didn't know you were so good an actor. I was charged to keep our agreement a secret from the lady here, but I see no need of it now. The King loyally and royally does as he said, here is your thousand pounds in gold." He laid a bulky purse across my saddle bow. "We take the lady, you the money, the King's pardon covers you for three days more, but if you be found in his realm thereafter God help you." "Hugh," cried my wife, "what does this mean?" "Hoity-toity," ran on that devil Stenwold, "my lady, you know very well what it means: it was all arranged between King James and yourself before you left Durham; I had His Majesty's word for it." "Liar!" cried Lady Katharine viciously. She was free enough of speech when the situation warranted it. "You dog!" cried the Earl of Clanranald, leaning forward. "Do you mean to imply that my daughter----" "The King's word----" "Out upon the King's word. I wish to God, Monmouth----" "Have a care, Lord Clanranald," interposed Stenwold darkly. "Your pardon I take it covers acts of the past, there is nothing to prevent me from re-arresting you and laying charges of high treason against you once more for abusing His Majesty's clemency." "Damn his clemency and His Majesty too," roared the Earl, struggling to force his horse nearer the other. "If you are a gentleman, draw sword. I am old but I will prove you lie in your own heart's blood." "I am not here to fight duels with men old enough to be my grandfather," answered Stenwold, coolly enough. "With me then," I burst out. The rogue answered me jeeringly again. He had the whip hand and he knew it. "What benefit would it be if I spitted you or you spitted me on the road here? Besides it is all part of the game, as you know." "You lie, in your soul," I cried, for the moment wrath getting the better of me, but Stenwold only laughed again that irritating, maddening laugh. God, how I itched to get my hand on his lying throat and shake the wretched pander to death. "We have had enough of this," he said, turning away from me indifferently. "My lady, will you come peaceably or----" "Hugh," cried Lady Katharine, bending toward me in wild terror, "you won't let them take me away from you?" "Why, he hath sold you," said Stenwold. "The price hangs on his saddle bow. Come, I have no time for further parley."