He turned it over, but there was no superscription on its exterior to offer any clue as to its owner, and taking it with him to the window, he pushed the lattice open and removed the shutter.  The dial pointed to six, and the sun had risen.  He peered closely into the roll he held in his hand, and pressing the packet slightly open, he slowly deciphered the writing.  It was that of a lawyer.  The first word he encountered was his own name, and brushing all scruples hastily aside, the baron burst the package open, and with little compunction sat down to peruse its contents.

It took the knight, who was no fluent scholar, some considerable time to read it through, and when, after the exercise of much patience, he had reached the end, the legal terms, which were so profusely employed, so baffled his simple understanding that he had decidedly failed to grasp its true intent.  Of one thing, however, and only one, was he perfectly sure, and that was that he had come across the name of Mary Burden and Nathan Grene several times in close connection with his own; but what heightened his surprise and added to his discomfiture was that the name of Sir Ronald Bury also appeared.

In this predicament he bethought himself of seeking aid to unravel the mystery, and he hastened up to arouse his companion.

Sir Thomas was dressed, and he met the baron at the top of the stairs—­much to their mutual surprise.

“Good morrow, Thomas,” exclaimed the baron, “I had come to awaken thee; see here!” and holding up the document he had discovered, he dragged the heir to the Derby estates downstairs without uttering another word or allowing any time for explanations.

“Read that,” he said, as soon as they were seated.

Sir Thomas took the roll from the other’s hand, and after a superficial scrutiny he was soon deeply engrossed in carrying out the command, while Sir George leaned his elbows upon the table and carefully studied the changing emotions which followed each other in rapid succession upon the young man’s face.

Sir Thomas Stanley read it through twice, and then carefully folding it up, he gave the baron a prolonged inquiring look.

“Well,” exclaimed Sir George, “you have read it?”

“I have.”

“Is it important?”

“Assuredly it is.  What have you done in the matter?”

“Naught, save that I have shown it thee.”

“Is that all, Sir George?”

“All! yes.  Why?”

“It is valuable; where did you get it?”

“I found it upon the floor under the table.  What is it, though?”

“Show me your summons first.  You have discovered information, I believe, which will tide you safely over the trial.”

“Eh!” ejaculated the old knight, dropping the bulky summons upon the table; “found what?”

Sir Thomas returned no answer to the query, for, leaving his companion to grasp the importance of the words he had just uttered, he spread out the two documents side by side upon the table and busied himself in comparing them together.