ccomplish。　Mortimer　having　the　whole　of　the　royal　revenue　at　his　disposal；　had　attached　to　himself　by　ties　of　interest　a　large　number　of　barons；　and　had　in　his　pay　nearly　two　hundred　knights　and　a　large　body　of　men…at…arms。　Thus　it　was　no　easy　matter　to　arrest　him。　It　was　determined　that　the　deed　should　be　done　at　the　meeting　of　the　parliament　at　Nottingham。　Here　Mortimer　appeared　with　Isabella　in　royal　pomp。　They　took　their　abode　at　the　castle；　while　the　king　and　other　members　of　the　royal　family　were　obliged　to　content　themselves　with　an　inferior　place　of　residence。
  〃The　gates　of　the　castle　were　locked　at　sunset；　and　the　keys　brought　by　the　constable；　Sir　William　Eland；　and　handed　to　the　queen　herself。　This　knight　was　a　loyal　and　gallant　gentleman；　and　regarded　Mortimer　with　no　affection；　and　when　he　received　the　king's　commands　to　assist　the　barons　charged　to　arrest　him　he　at　once　agreed　to　do　so。　He　was　aware　of　the　existence　of　a　subterranean　communication　leading　from　the　interior　of　the　castle　to　the　outer　country；　and　by　this；　on　the　night　of　the　19th　of　October；　1330；　he　led　nine　resolute　knights　…　the　Lords　Montague；　Suffolk；　Stafford；　Molins；　and　Clinton；　with　three　brothers　of　the　name　of　Bohun；　and　Sir　John　Nevil　…　into　the　heart　of　the　castle。　　Mortimer　was　found　surrounded　by　a　number　of　his　friends。　　On　the　sudden　entry　of　the　knights　known　to　be　hostile　to　Mortimer　his　friends　drew　their　swords；　and　a　short　but　desperate　fight　took　place。　Many　were　wounded；　and　Sir　Hugh　Turpleton　and　Richard　Monmouth　were　slain。　　Mortimer　was　carried　to　London；　and　was　tried　and　condemned　by　parliament；　and　executed　for　felony　and　treason。　Several　of　his　followers　were　executed；　and　others　were　attacked　in　their　strongholds　and　killed；　among　these　was　Sir　Roland　Somers。
  〃Queen　Isabella　was　confined　in　Castle　Risings　where　she　still　remains　a　prisoner。　Such；　Walter；　were　the　troubles　which　occurred　when　King　Edward　first　took　up　the　reins　of　power　in　this　realm；　and　now；　let's　to　supper；　for　I　can　tell　you　that　my　walk　to　Kingston　has　given　me　a　marvellous　appetite。　We　have　three　or　four　hours'　work　yet　before　we　go　to　bed；　for　that　Milan　harness　was　promised　for　the　morrow；　and　the　repairs　are　too　delicate　for　me　to　entrust　it　to　the　men。　It　is　good　to　assist　the　law；　but　this　work　of　attending　as　a　witness　makes　a　grievous　break　in　the　time　of　a　busy　man。　　It　is　a　pity；　Walter；　that　your　mind　is　so　set　on　soldiering；　for　you　would　have　made　a　marvellous　good　craftsman。　However；　I　reckon　that　after　you　have　seen　a　few　years　of　fighting　in　France；　and　have　got　some　of　your　wild　blood　let　out；　you　will　be　glad　enough　to　settle　down　here　with　me；　as　you　know；　our　profits　are　good；　and　work　plentiful；　and　did　I　choose　I　might　hold　mine　head　higher　than　I　do　among　the　citizens；　and　you；　if　you　join　me；　may　well　aspire　to　a　place　in　the　common　council；　aye；　and　even　to　an　alderman's　gown；　in　which　case　I　may　yet　be　addressing　you　the　very　worshipful　my　Lord　Mayor。〃
  〃Pooh！〃　Walter　laughed；　〃a　fig　for　your　lord　Mayors！　I　would　a　thousand　times　rather　be　a　simple　squire　in　the　following　of　our　young　prince。〃
  CHAPTER　IV：　A　KNIGHT'S　CHAIN
  The　following　morning　Walter　put　on　the　sober　russet　dress　which　he　wore　on　Sundays　and　holidays；　for　gay　colours　were　not　allowed　to　the　apprentices；　and　set　out　for　Westminster。　Although　he　endeavoured　to　assume　an　air　of　carelessness　and　ease　as　he　approached　the　dwelling　of　Earl　Talbot；　he　was　very　far　from　feeling　comfortable；　and　wished　in　his　heart　that　his　master　had　accompanied　him　on　his　errand。　Half　a　dozen　men…at…arms　were　standing　on　the　steps　of　the　mansion；　who　looked　with　haughty　surprise　at　the　young　apprentice。
  〃Dame　Alice　Vernon　has　sent　to　express　her　desire　to　have　speech　with　me；〃　he　said　quietly；　〃and　I　would　fain　know　if　she　can　receive　me。〃
  〃Here；　Dikon；〃　one　of　the　men　cried　to　another　within　the　hall。　〃This　is　the　lad　you　were　sent　to　fetch　yesterday。　I　wondered　much　who　the　city　apprentice　was；　who　with　such　an　assured　air；　marched　up　to　the　door；　but　if　what　thou　sayest　be　true；　that　he　saved　the　life　of　Dame　Vernon　and　her　little　daughter；　he　must　be　a　brave　lad；　and　would　be　more　in　place　among　men　and　soldiers　than　in　serving　wares　behind　the　counter　of　a　fat　city　tradesman。
  〃I　serve　behind　no　counter；〃　Walter　said　indignantly。　　〃I　am　an　armourer；　and　mayhap　can　use　arms　as　well　as　make　them。〃
  There　was　a　laugh　among　the　men　at　the　boy's　sturdy　self…assertion；　and　then　the　man　named　Dikon　said：　　〃Come　along；　lad。　I　will　take　you　to　Dame　Vernon　at　once。　　She　is　expecting　you；　and；　my　faith；　it　would　not　be　safe　to　leave　you　standing　here　long；　for　I　see　you　would　shortly　be　engaged　in　splitting　the　weasands　of　my　comrades。〃
  There　was　another　roar　of　laughter　from　the　men；　and　Walter；　somewhat　abashed；　followed　his　conductor　into　the　house。　Leading　him　through　the　hall　and　along　several　corridors；　whose　spaciousness　and　splendour　quite　overpowered　the　young　apprentice；　he　handed　him　over　to　a　waiting　woman；　who　ushered　him　into　an　apartment　where　Dame　Vernon　was　reclining　on　a　couch。　Her　little　daughter　was　sitting　upon　a　low　stool　beside　her；　and　upon　seeing　Walter　she　leapt　to　her　feet；　clapping　her　hands。
  〃Oh！　mother；　this　is　the　boy　that　rescued　us　out　of　the　river。〃
  The　lady　looked　with　some　surprise　at　the　lad。　She　had　but　a　faint　remembrance　of　the　events　which　occurred　between　the　time　when　she　received　a　blow　from　the　sword　of　one　of　her　assailants　and　that　when　she　found　herself　on　a　couch　in　the　abode　of　her　kinsman；　and　when　she　had　been　told　that　she　had　been　saved　by　a　city　apprentice　she　had　pictured　to　herself　a　lad　of　a　very　different　kind　to　him　who　now　stood　before　her。
  Walter　was　now　nearly　sixteen　years　old。　His　frame　was　very　powerful　and　firmly　knit。　His　dark　brown　hair　was　cut　short；　but；　being　somewhat　longer　than　was　ordinary　with　the　apprentices；　fell　with　a　slight　wave　back　on　his　forehead。　　His　bearing　was　respectful；　and　at　the　same　time　independent。　There　was　none　of　that　confusion　which　might　be　expected　on　the　part　of　a　lad　from　the　city　in　the　presence　of　a　lady　of　rank。　His　dark；　heavy　eyebrows；　resolute　mouth；　and　square　chin　gave　an　expression　of　sternness　to　his　face；　which　was　belied　by　the　merry　expression　of　his　eyes　and　the　bright　smile　when　he　was　spoken　to。
  〃I　have　to　thank　you；　young　sir；〃　she　said；　holding　out　her　hand；　which　Walter；　after　the　custom　of　the　time；　raised　to　his　lips；　bending　upon　one　knee　as　he　did　so；　〃for　the　lives　of　myself　and　my　daughter；　which　would　surely　have　been　lost　had　you　not　jumped　over　to　save　us。
  〃I　am　glad　that　I　arrived　in　time　to　be　of　aid；〃　Walter　said　frankly；　〃but　indeed　I　am　rather　to　be　blamed　than　praised；　for　had　I；　when　I　heard　the　plotting　against　the　safety　of　the　boat；　told　my　master　of　it；　as　I　should　have　done；　instead　of　taking　the　adventure　upon　mine　own　shoulders；　doubtless　a　boat　would　have　been　sent　up　in　time　to　prevent　the　attack　from　taking　place。　　Therefore；　instead　of　being　praised　for　having　arrived　a　little　too　late；　I　should　be　rated　for　not　having　come　there　in　time。〃
  Dame　Vernon　smiled。
  〃Although　you　may　continue　to　insist　that　you　are　to　blame；　this　does　not　alter　the　fact　that　you　have　saved　our　lives。　Is　there　any　way　in　which　I　can　be　useful　to　you？　Are　you　discontent　with　your　state？　　For；　in　truth；　you　look　as　if　Nature　had　intended　you　for　a　gallant　soldier　rather　than　a　city　craftsman。　　Earl　Talbot；　who　is　my　uncle；　would；　I　am　sure；　receive　you　into　his　following　should　you　so　choose　it；　and　I　would　gladly　pay　for　the　cancelling　of　your　indentures。〃
  〃I　thank　you；　indeed；　lady；　for　your　kind　offices；〃　Walter　said　earnestly；　〃for　the　present　I　am　well　content　to　remain　at　my　craft；　which　is　that　of　an　armourer；　until；　at　any　rate；　I　have　gained　such　manly　strength　and　vigour　as　would　fit　me　for　a　man…at…arms；　and　my　good　master；　Geoffrey　Ward；　will；　without　payment　received；　let　me　go　when　I　ask　that　grace　of　him。〃
  〃Edith；　go　and　look　from　the　window　at　the　boats　passing　along　the　river；　and　now；〃　she　went　on；　as　the　girl　had　obeyed　her　orders；　〃I　would　fain　ask　you　more　about　the　interview　you　overhead　in　the　marshes。　Sir　William　de　Hertford　told　me　of　the　evidence　that　you　had　given　before　the　justice。　It　is　passing　strange　that　he　who　incited　the　other　to　the　deed　should　have　been　by　him　termed　'Sir　Knight'。　Maybe　it　was　merely　a　nickname　among　his　fellows。〃
  〃Before　I　speak；　lady；〃　Walter　said　quietly；　〃I　would　fain　know　whether　you　wish　to　be　assured　of　the　truth。　　Sometimes；　they　say；　it　is　wiser　to　remain　in　ignorance；　at　other　times　forewarned　is　forearmed。　Frankly；　I　did　not　tell　all　I　know　before　the　court；　deeming　that　peradventure　you　might　wish　to　see　me；　and　that　I　could　then　tell　the　whole　to　your　private　ear；　should　you　wish　to　know　it；　and　you　could　then　bid　me　either　keep　silence　or　proclaim　all　I　knew　when　the　trial　of　these　evil…doers　comes　on。〃
  〃You　seem　to　me　to　be　wise　beyond　your　years；　young　sir；〃　the　lady　said。
  〃The　wisdom　is　not　mine；　lady；　but　my　master's。　I　took　counsel　with　him；　and　acted　as　he　advised　me。
  〃I　would　fain　know　all；〃　the　lady　said。　〃I　have　already　strange