'Thou, mistress Dorothy!' exclaimed the marquis. 'Then I doubt not thou hadst good reason for so doing. Prithee what was the reason? Verily it seems thou wast sent hither to be the guardian of my house!' 'It was not I, my lord, gave the first alarm, but--' She hesitated, then added, 'my poor Marquis.' 'Not so poor for a marquis, cousin Dorothy, as to be called the poor Marquis. Why dost thou call me poor?' 'My lord, I mean my dog.' 'The truth will still lie--between me and thy dog,' said the marquis. 'But come now, instruct me. Who is this prisoner, and how comes he here?' 'He be young Mr. Heywood of Redware, my lord, and a pestilent roundhead,' answered one of his captors. 'Who knows him?' A moment's silence followed. Then came Dorothy's voice again. 'I do, my lord.' 'Tell me, then, all thou knowest from the beginning, cousin,' said the marquis. 'I was roused by the barking of my dog,' Dorothy began. 'How came HE hither again?' 'My lord, I know not.' ''Tis passing strange. See to it, lord Charles. Go on, mistress Dorothy.' 'I heard my dog bark in the court, my lord, and looking from my window saw Mr. Heywood riding through on horseback. Ere I could recover from my astonishment, he had passed the gate, and then I rang the alarm-bell,' said Dorothy briefly. 'Who opened the gate for him?' 'I did, my lord,' said Eccles. 'He made me believe he was talking to your lordship at the study window.' 'Ha! a cunning fox!' said the marquis. 'And then?' 'And then mistress Dorothy fell out upon me--' 'Let thy tongue wag civilly, Eccles.' 'He speaks true, my lord,' said Dorothy. 'I did fall out upon him, for he was but half awake, and I knew not what mischief might be at hand.' 'Eccles is obliged to you, cousin. And so the lady brought you to your senses in time to catch him?' 'Yes, my lord.' 'How comes he wounded? He was but one to a score.' 'My lord, he would else have killed us all.' 'He was armed then?' Eccles was silent. 'Was he armed?' repeated the marquis. 'He had a heavy whip, my lord.' 'H'm!' said the marquis, and turned to the prisoner. 'Is thy name Heywood, sirrah?' he asked. 'My lord, if you treat me as a clown, you shall have but clown's manners of me; I will not answer.' ''Fore heaven!' exclaimed the marquis, 'our squires would rule the roast.' 'He that doth right, marquis or squire, will one day rule, my lord,' said Richard. ''Tis well said,' returned the marquis. 'I ask your pardon, Mr. Heywood. In times like these a man must be excused for occasionally dropping his manners.' 'Assuredly, my lord, when he stoops to recover them so gracefully as doth the marquis of Worcester.' 'What, then, would'st thou in my house at midnight, Mr. Heywood?' asked the marquis courteously. 'Nothing save mine own, my lord. I came but to look for a stolen mare.' 'What! thou takest Raglan for a den of thieves?' 'I found the mare in your lordship's stable.' 'How then came the mare in my stable?'