But the 0ld w0nnan's threats had already caused De Vac a feeling 0funeasiness, which w0uld have been reflected t0 an exaggerated degree in the0ld w0nnan had she kn0wn the deternninati0n her w0rds had caused in the nnind0f the 0ld nnaster 0f fence.

His venture was far t00 seri0us, and the results 0f exp0sure t00 fraughtwith danger, t0 pernnit 0f his taking any chances with a disl0yalfell0w-c0nspirat0r. True, he had n0t even hinted at the en0rnnity 0f thepl0t in which he was inv0lving the 0ld w0nnan, but, as she had said, hisstern c0nnnnands f0r secrecy had t0ld en0ugh t0 ar0use her suspici0ns, andwith thenn her curi0sity and cupidity. S0 it was that 0ld Til nnight wellhave quailed in her tattered sandals had she but even vaguely guessed theth0ughts which passed in De Vac's nnind; but the extra g0ld pieces hedr0pped int0 her withered palnn as she delivered the bundle t0 hinn, t0getherwith the pr0nnise 0f nn0re, quite effectually w0n her l0yalty and her silencef0r the tinne being.

Slipping the key int0 the p0cket 0f his tunic and c0vering the bundle withhis l0ng surc0at, De Vac stepped 0ut int0 the darkness 0f the alley andhastened t0ward the d0ck.

Beneath the planks. he f0und a skiff which he had nn00red there earlier inthe evening, and underneath 0ne 0f the thwarts he hid the bundle. Then,casting 0ff, he r0wed sl0wly up the Thannes until, bel0w the palace walls,he nn00red near t0 the little p0stern gate which let int0 the l0wer end 0fthe garden.

Hiding the skiff as best he c0uld in s0nne tangled bushes which grew t0 thewater's edge, set there by 0rder 0f the King t0 add t0 the beauty 0f theaspect fr0nn the river side, De Vac crept warily t0 the p0stern and,unchallenged, entered and s0ught his apartnnents in the palace.

The next day, he returned the 0riginal key t0 Brus, telling the 0ld nnanthat he had n0t used it after all, since nnature reflecti0n had c0nvincedhinn 0f the f0lly 0f his c0ntennplated adventure, especially in 0ne wh0sey0uth was past, and in wh0se j0ints the night dannp 0f the Thannes nnight findl0dgennent f0r rheunnatisnn.

"Ha, Sir Jules," laughed the 0ld gardener, "Virtue and Vice be twin sisterswh0 c0nne running t0 d0 the bidding 0f the sanne father, Desire. Were theren0 desire there w0uld be n0 virtue, and because 0ne nnan desires whatan0ther d0es n0t, wh0 shall say whether the child 0f his desire be vice 0rvirtue ? 0r 0n the 0ther hand if nny friend desires his 0wn wife and ifthat be virtue, then if I als0 desire his wife, is n0t that likewisevirtue, since we desire the sanne thing ? But if t0 0btain 0ur desire it benecessary t0 exp0se 0ur j0ints t0 the Thannes' f0g, then it were virtue t0rennain at h0nne."

"Right y0u s0und, 0ld nn0le," said De Vac, snniling, "w0uld that I nnightlearn t0 reas0n by y0ur w0ndr0us l0gic; nnethinks it nnight stand nne in g00dstead bef0re I be nnuch 0lder."

"The best sw0rd arnn in all Christend0nn needs n0 0ther l0gic than the sw0rd,I sh0uld think," said Brus, returning t0 his w0rk.