“Not dressed as a minstrel on this occasion; but in the uniform of an English officer. “For he had played his part so well that even Charles did not suspect him to be one and the same person, for when Redgill left Warbeck Castle so suddenly, he went to Calais, and then under an assumed name, made the acquaintance of Charles Warbeck, and led him on to ruin. “As he was such a gay fellow, then, and had become so much linked in with young Warbeck, he was looked upon by all almost as one of the family. “‘By the fates,’ said he, as he whispered to the bride and bridegroom, ‘we shall scare the owls to-night in the grim towers of Warbeck Castle. Thy grave brother, Sir Charles, will have much to do to comfort thy old flame, Leoline, when she learns what a gallant life you are leading here with your fair French bride.’ “‘Poor damsel,’ said the bride, with a light laugh of scorn, ‘poor damsel; doubtless she will now be reconciled to the pale-faced rejected one; for I understand that my Lord Warbeck, your brother, Sir Charles, is a gentleman, handsome, and of gallant mien.’ “‘Peace!’ said Sir Charles, sternly, and quaffing a large goblet of wine. “The bride bit her lip, and glanced meaningly at Redgill, who returned the glance. “‘Nought but a beauty such as thine can win my pardon,’ said Sir Charles, turning to his bride, and gazing passionately in her face. “The bride smiled. “Well sped the feast, the laugh deepened, the wine circled, when Sir Charles’s eye rested on a guest at the bottom of the board, whose figure was mantled from head to foot, and whose face was covered by a dark veil. “‘Beshrew me,’ said he, aloud, ‘but this is scarce courteous at our revel; will the stranger vouchsafe to unmask?’ “These words turned all eyes to the figure. It rose and walked slowly, but with grace, to the fair bride, and laid beside her a wreath of flowers. “‘It is a simple gift, lady,’ said the stranger, in a voice of much sweetness; ‘but it is all I can offer, and the bride of Sir Charles should not be without a gift at my hands. May you both be happy!’ “With these words the stranger left the hall like a shadow. “‘Bring her back—bring her back,’ said the French bride, hastily. “‘No, no!’ said Sir Charles, waving his hand impatiently; ‘touch her not, heed her not, at your peril.’ “The bride bent her head over the flowers to conceal her anger, and from amongst them dropped the broken half of a ring. “Sir Charles recognised it at once. “It was the half of that ring which he had broken with his betrothed Leoline. “He required not such a sign to convince him that the figure so full of ineffable grace, that touching voice, that simple action, so tender in its sentiment, that gift, that blessing, came only from the heart-broken and forgiving Leoline. “But Lord Warbeck, alone in his solitary tower, passed to and fro with agitated steps. “Deep, undying wrath at his brother’s baseness mingled with one burning, delicious hope.