"With your Grace's leave, I will take this poor man in charge," said a well-known voice, and Master Hall lifted his cap to the Duchess. "He hath but fainted, as I think. Loveday, have you your scenting bottle about you?" The Duchess looked surprised enough to hear this strange merchant call me by name. I handed him the bottle of strong perfume, which ladies then as now carried in their packets, but the poor sufferer had already opened his eyes. "Food—food!" said he. "I starve." By this time a crowd was gathered. "Please your Grace to move on," said Master Hall, courteously. "I will care for the poor man, and bring you an account of him, if you will." "Do so, sir; and we shall be your debtor," said the Duchess, with the queenly grace which was natural to her. "See that he is comfortably bestowed and wants for nothing. We take the expense on ourself." She put two or three gold pieces into Master Hall's hand, and we moved on. When we were in the house, she sent for me, and asked me, with some little sharpness, who was that man who called me so familiarly by my name. I told her he was the son-in-law of my good friend, Master Davis, and the husband of my dearest friend. "Ay," said she, "I heard you call him Master Hall, but is he the man who is noted for selling seditious and heretical books?" "I dare to say, madam, that he never sold a seditious book in his life!" I answered. "As to heresy, 'tis not so easy to tell in these days what is heresy and what is not." "And that is true!" said she, relapsing into her usual tone of kindness. "But, Loveday, your friend is in danger. I heard his name mentioned last night as a principal dealer in forbidden books, and if Gardiner gets his claws upon him, you know what his case will be." "I know, madam!" I answered. "But I trust he may be delivered from the power of that bad man." "And so do I, but a word to the wise is enough. Mayhap your cousin, being a scholar, will have occasion to go to this Master Hall's shop to buy something. And, now I think of it, Frances tells me she wants a new book of lessons. Doth he deal in music?" I told her it was a great part of his trade, and she bade me tell my cousin, in case he went out, to go thither and buy what was needed, and also some paper and pens for herself. With that, she dismissed me, and I went at once to find out Walter, and told him what I had heard. Walter looked very grave. "Her Grace is right," said he. "There is no time to lose. I will go at once." It may be guessed that I spent an anxious day. My fancy pictured Margaret in all sorts of dreadful predicaments, and imagined the distress of Master Davis and his family. What a relief it was, and yet what a start it gave me that evening, as I was reading to the Duchess and Lady Frances, to hear the gentleman usher say: "A merchant of the city, Master Hall, hath brought some books and music, and desires an audience of your Grace upon business."