"Tell me all you know concerning her," he said. I told him quickly, feverishly, for I was eager to hear what he knew. I noticed, however, that he paid but little heed to our meeting near Folkestone, nor to my account of my journey to Bedford to set her at liberty. But when I described our meeting with the king he was all attention. "The blackguard," he said presently, between his teeth. "Who?" I asked. "Charles Stuart," he said; "but pay no heed to me. After all, the king is king." "But where is Constance now?" I asked. "I have been told that her father was hanged at Tyburn. Where is she?" "What is she to you?" asked my father. "She is everything to me," I replied. "You fancy you are in love with her?" I did not reply, for my father spoke, I thought, scornfully. "I will admit that the maid is a brave maid. It is not often one hears of such daring, such resolution," he said presently. "Ay," I replied, my heart all aglow. "She took her sister's guilt upon her own shoulders. For months she defied all pursuers, and when at last she stood before the king, she refused to do his bidding, refused to betray her sister's hiding-place. But what happened to her afterwards? Tell me, father, for pity's sake." "You do not know? You have heard of nought that took place after the night when you behaved like a fool before the king, and were sent hither?" "I have heard nothing." "It was the best joke I have heard of for years," laughed my father. "Verily I believe it was that which made Charles hang old John Leslie. He hath let more guilty men go free; besides, Sir John was a harmless old fool, with nought against him save that he was over-religious." "But tell me, father; tell me," I pleaded. "Well," said my father, "no sooner did she leave his Majesty's presence than it seems that she began to look around for a means of escape. It seems also that during the time she appeared before the king, half-a-dozen young gallants lost their hearts over her, and she being a quick-Pwitted maid singled out the biggest fool of the whole batch. I suppose that during her midnight audience with the king these young fools waited around the corridors in the hope of having speech with her. How she did it I don't know; but she managed to gain audience with the young fool I have mentioned, and in five minutes he became wax in her hands. She persuaded him to bring her the gay and full outfit of a young Court gallant, and offered to run away with him." "And then?" I cried, for my father stopped in the middle of his recital to laugh, as though he were telling a good joke.