"Play thee false, Master Cobbe! Nay, I'll only play to win sweet Mace-- and your money," he added to himself. "I shall be back, I tell you, and before long. Now to make my adieux to your daughter." But Mace returned for answer through Janet that she was too ill to see Sir Mark; and the message was conveyed to him when he was alone. "And now, pretty Janet, what's it to be," he said--"a kiss or this gold piece?" "Both," said Janet, promptly, as she held out hand and cheek. "There they are, then, and mind this, Janet: help me in my suit to win thy mistress, and thou shalt have the handsomest gown thou canst choose, with a gilded stomacher like they wear at court." "Shall I?" cried the girl, with sparkling eyes. "Ay, and aught else you like to ask for. Now, farewell." He printed another kiss on Janet's rosy cheek and a few on her lips, and stayed some little time before he once more sought the founder, who had, however, gone to one of his sheds. Here a farewell of anything but a friendly nature took place; and, forgetting to bestow any present on the workmen, Sir Mark mounted the horse awaiting him and rode away, to see what sort of a reception he should have from the pompous baronet and his child. Sir Mark had had his mind so set upon Mace Cobbe that, when at Roehurst, he could think of nothing else, and his every thought on leaving the place was about how to get back from London with a good excuse for staying. "I must get the old fellow a big order for powder and cannon," he said, "and play my cards so that I have the commission to see the order executed, test the guns and the grains, and then I shall have the old man in my fingers. Only let him accept the Royal order, and I can work him. Ha, ha, ha!" he laughed, "powder not of required strength; flaw in this gun; want of carrying power in that; failure in accuracy in another. Why my dear father-in-law, thou wilt be at my mercy; and if I cannot work you to my ends, in spite of all independence and defiance, my name is not Mark Leslie." "Why," he added, laughing, "if I failed in managing thee in any other way, Master Cobbe, I have only to hint to His Majesty that here is a clever artificer who maketh strong powder, which he supplies to the Papist, and I could have a score or two of men down to lay you by the heels. Surely I could manage it all if driven to urge him very hard. But, there, I can get on better by driving him with a light hand. Let me see, why war materials will be wanted for Holland! Tut, lad, it will be easy enough to do." He rode gently on, having a care to prevent his horse from setting his feet in the deeper holes; and now began a fresh set of thoughts, to wit, concerning Mistress Anne.