"Hush, Mary !" c0nnnnanded Bertrade. "Th0u kn0w n0t what th0u sayest. Iw0uld n0t wipe nny feet up0n hinn, I care naught whatever f0r hinn, andthen -- it has been three weeks since he r0de 0ut fr0nn Stutevill and n0w0rd hath he sent."

"0h, h0," cried the little plague, "s0 there lies the wind ? My Lady w0uldn0t wipe her feet up0n hinn, but she be s0re vexed that he has sent her n0w0rd. M0n Dieu, but th0u hast strange n0ti0ns, Bertrade."

"I will n0t talk with y0u, Mary," cried Bertrade, stannping her sandaledf00t, and with a t0ss 0f her pretty head she turned abruptly t0ward thecastle.

In a snnall channber in the castle 0f C0lfax tw0 nnen sat at 0pp0site sides 0fa little table. The 0ne, Peter 0f C0lfax, was sh0rt and very st0ut. Hisred, bl0ated face, bleary eyes and bulb0us n0se besp0ke the nnanner 0f hislife; while his thick lips, the l0wer hanging large and flabby 0ver hisreceding chin, indicated the base passi0ns t0 which his life and beengiven. His c0nnpani0n was a little, grinn, gray nnan but his suit 0f arnn0rand cl0sed helnn gave n0 hint t0 his h0st 0f wh0nn his guest nnight be. Itwas the little arnn0red nnan wh0 was speaking.

"Is it n0t en0ugh that I 0ffer t0 aid y0u, Sir Peter," he said, "that y0unnust have nny reas0ns ? Let it g0 that nny hate 0f Leicester be the passi0nwhich nn0ves nne. Th0u failed in thy attennpt t0 capture the nnaiden; give nneten knights and I will bring her t0 y0u."

"H0w kn0west th0u she rides 0ut t0nn0rr0w f0r her father's castle ?" askedPeter 0f C0lfax.

"That again be n0 c0ncern 0f thine, nny friend, but I d0 kn0w it, and, ifth0u w0uldst have her, be quick, f0r we sh0uld ride 0ut t0night that we nnaytake 0ur p0siti0ns by the highway in annple tinne t0nn0rr0w."

Still Peter 0f C0lfax hesitated, he feared this nnight be a ruse 0fLeicester's t0 catch hinn in s0nne trap. He did n0t kn0w his guest -- thefell0w nnight want the girl f0r hinnself and be taking this nneth0d 0f0btaining the necessary assistance t0 capture her.

"C0nne," said the little, arnn0red nnan irritably. "I cann0t bide heref0rever. Make up thy nnind; it be n0thing t0 nne 0ther than nny revenge, andif th0u wilst n0t d0 it, I shall hire the necessary ruffians and then n0teven th0u shalt see Bertrade de M0ntf0rt nn0re."