The king gave some commands in a low voice, whereupon she prepared to lead Constance away. My heart fell at this, for while I was brave and confident in her presence, my courage ebbed away at the thought of her leaving me. And yet it was not for myself that I feared, but for her. A great dread came into my heart concerning the indignities which I believed the king would place upon her, for I had heard his words, I had seen the look in his black beady eyes. But I could do nothing. I had to stand still while she left the room, and yet on her leaving I felt my heart grow warm with joy. And no wonder, for as she walked away, she turned around, and her eyes met mine, and then, although she never spoke a word of love to me, I knew that I did not love her in vain. Let the king do his worst now, I did not fear, for I had a strength and a joy of which he knew nothing. No sooner had the door closed than the king's mood changed again. "Now then we will speak plainly, Master Malapert," he said. "You know where this maid's sister is?" At this I was silent, for surely there was no need of speech. "Well, it doth not matter whether you speak or no, that is as far as it concerneth me. As for you, it mattereth much. But there is the other matter; tell me what you know concerning that?" Whether I was wise or no I will not try to say, but I told him what I had seen. "You say you saw this contract?" "Yes, sire, I saw it." "Signed by me?" "The name of Charles Stuart was affixed to it." He took a pen from a table and scribbled hastily on a piece of paper. "Like that?" he asked. "A facsimile of that, sire," I replied. For a time he was silent, and he took several turns up and down the room, as though he were thinking. "You knew of this when I arrived at Dover?" "Yes, sire." "And when you went to the place again?" "It was gone as I have told you, sire." "You believe the old man hath it?" "Yes, sire." "And you have a suspicion where he is now?" At this I was silent, for what could I say. I believed that he was at Goodlands, the house of John Leslie, and that his discovery would mean the discovery of Constance's sister, the sister whom she was ready to shield with her own life. Therefore, in spite of all the king's commands, I held my peace, never by so much as a word or a suggestion making known my thoughts. Again the king grew angry, and he threatened not the wife of Sir Charles Denman, but Constance with a doom at which any honest woman must shudder, but even then I could not speak, for if ever a woman's eyes had commanded a man to be silent Constance's had commanded me. Besides, I had no faith in the man before me. The promises he made to-day would be broken at the very moment it pleased his fancy. And yet I believed that the king was not altogether displeased with me, for even as he gave his commands concerning me he said-- "An honest man is a good thing, Master Rashcliffe, but when he is a fool he must be e'en treated as a danger."