VI. THE KING'S ARMS 90 VII. IN GOOD GREEN WOOD 108 VIII. A CLUE 130 IX. A REQUIEM MASS 144 X. THE ORDEAL BY TOUCH 159 XI. THE GREATER LOVE 172 XII. HOW LOVERS ARE CONVINCED 180 XIII. A CHANGE OF VENUE 196 XIV. IN WHICH FATE TAKES THE HELM 215 XV. DIGITUS DEI 223 XVI. LIFE OR DEATH 240 XVII. ROMNEY 256 XVIII. THE EMERALD TAG 274 XIX. THE ROLLING YEAR 292 XX. A BIRTHNIGHT BALL 309 XXI. A ROOTED SORROW 334 XXII. CANDLEMAS EVE 354 XXIII. "HEY FOR ST. MARY'S, AND WIVES FOR US ALL!" 370 XXIV. THE CALVERT MOTTO 392 Illustrations "'Let me go to him!' she shrieked, in her anguish of soul" _Frontispiece_ _From a drawing by Howard Pyle_ "Stretch out thy rod, Cecil" _Page_ 58 _From a drawing by James E. McBurney_ "You are quite a courtier, Master Huntoon" " 116 _From a drawing by S. M. Palmer_ "This is love indeed" " 194 _From a drawing by S. M. Arthurs_ "He sang to the music of his lute, and she to the accompaniment of her whirring wheel" " 301 _From a drawing by S. M. Palmer_ "As it is, I am satisfied. Go!" " 390 _From a drawing by James E. McBurney_ SIR CHRISTOPHER CHAPTER I ROBIN HOOD'S BARN Through the January twilight a sail-boat steered its course by the light of a fire which blazed high in the throat of the chimney at St. Gabriel's Manor. Within the hall, circled by the light from the fire, a Danish hound stretched its lazy length on the floor, and, pillowing his head against the dog's body, lay a boy eight or nine years old. He was a plain laddie, with a freckled nose, a wide mouth, and round apple cheeks over which flaxen curls tumbled in confusion. His big eyes, the redeeming feature of the face, were just now fixed upon the shadows cast by the motion of his joined hands on the wall. At length the lips parted over a row of baby teeth with a gap in the centre, through which the little tongue showed blood-red, as the boy laughed long and loud.