Harry agreed to the sum, and a quarter of an hour later the man, with a light horse and cart, came to the door.

“You are a strange-looking carle,” he said, “to be riding on a Sunday in haste; I scarce like being seen with thee.”

“I have landed but an hour ago,” Harry said, “and can buy no clothes to-day; but if you or mine host here, who is nearer my size, have a decent suit which you can sell me, I will pay you double the sum it cost.”

The landlord at once agreed to the terms, and five minutes later Harry, clad in the sober garb of a decent tradesman, mounted the cart.  The horse was not a fast one, and the roads were bad.  It was nigh six o’clock before they reached London.  Paying Fletcher the sum agreed upon, Harry walked rapidly westward.  Cromwell was abiding in a house in Pall Mall.  Upon Harry arriving there he was asked his business.

“The general is ill,” the servant said, “and can see no one.”

“I must see him,” Harry urged.  “It is a matter of the extremest importance.”

“See him you cannot,” the man repeated, “and it were waste of words to talk further on the matter.  Dost think that, even were he well, the general, with all the affairs of the Commonwealth on his shoulders, has time to see every gossiping citizen who would have speech with him?”

Harry slipped a gold piece into the man’s hand.

“It is useless,” the man said.  “The general is, as I truly told thee, ill.”

Harry stood in despair, “Could you gain me speech with the general’s wife?”

“Ay,” the man said.  “I might do that.  What name shall say?”

“She would not know my name.  Merely say that one wishes to speak to her on a matter nearly touching the safety of the general.”

“Hadst thou said that at once,” the man grumbled, “I might have admitted you before.  There are many rumors of plots on the part of the malignants against the life of the general.  I will take your message to Madam Cromwell, and she can deal with it as she will.”

The man was absent for a few minutes.  Then he returned with an officer.

“Can you tell me,” the latter asked, “what you have to reveal?”

“No,” Harry replied, “I must speak with the general himself.”

“Beware,” the officer said sternly, “that you trifle not.  The general is sick, and has many things on his mind; ’twill be ill for you if you disturb him without cause.”

“The cause is sufficient,” Harry said.  “I would see him in person.”

Without a word the officer turned and led the way to a room upstairs, where Cromwell was sitting at a table, His wife was near him.  A Bible lay open before him.  Cromwell looked steadily at Harry.

“I hear that you have a matter of importance to tell me, young man, and one touching my safety.  I know that there are many who thirst for my blood.  But I am in the hands of the Lord, who has so far watched over His servant.  If there be truth in what you have to tell you will be rewarded.”