"Seditious girl! those are words of treason." "I care not," cried Francis recklessly. "I care not, my lord. And if thou wilt not give me aid thy life shall pay the forfeit." "Dost threaten me, girl?" "Ay! if you deny me. I will slay thee and take thy signet ring." "If I aid thee, what then?" "I will tell no word of it to any man," declared she earnestly. "No word, my lord. Thou shalt not be implicated in any manner, as indeed, why should you? I am determined to reach my father, and if to do so I must kill thee, I will do so." "I believe in thee, Francis. Thy love for him is great. For the sake of that love, and also for that which once I bore him, I will aid thee. Not because of thy threats, girl. They are but talk of an excited brain." "Nay, my lord; you do me wrong. I would carry them out if it were necessary, albeit I am glad to have gained the end without bloodshed." "Here is my signet ring, Francis. By that token the boatmen will take thee to London. By that token also thou mayest obtain horses at my house. Go, girl! Even now thou mayest be too late. As for me, with that ring on thee, 'twill be my undoing, but--take it." "Say that I stole it, my lord. Say that I forced it from thee," cried Francis, receiving it from him joyfully. "That thou forced it from me?" echoed Lord Shrope with a laugh. "Why, girl, I had rather be beheaded." "Then will I leave it at thy house in London when I shall have obtained a horse," said the girl dropping upon one knee by his side. "Forgive me, my lord, for my words," and she kissed his hand with fervor. "Thou hast always been kind to me, but my father, sir. There is naught that I would not do for him." "Thou art forgiven. But hasten! Time is precious." Without further parley Francis bounded from the room, and hurried through the palace yard, out of the great gate and down to the steps that led to the river. Within the yard and at the landing-place there was a great deal of confusion. Servitors were running to and fro, courtiers were grouped together talking excitedly, while numerous officials and dignitaries were taking boat for London. Among these latter the girl discerned the form of Walsingham, the queen's secretary of state. Her heart sank at sight of him. "He goes to send pursuivants for my father," was her thought, and her conclusion was correct. The secretary was indeed on his way to cause the arrest of the conspirators. Seeing her among the followers of Walsingham, the watermen permitted her to enter one of the wherries and she found herself being carried to London more expeditiously than would otherwise have been the case. There was no indulgence on the part of the boatmen in song. Stern and silent they bent to their oars, responding with all their mights to Walsingham's "Faster, my men, faster!"