“A strange way, Miles,” she said, biting her red lips to restrain a laugh, “to show the devotedness of your affection to the mistress by kissing the maid.  Is it a fashion taught thee by the savages?”

Arundel, notwithstanding the words of Eveline, could not discover much severity either in the tones of her voice or the glances of her eyes, for those were days when scarcely so great a delicacy of manners prevailed as in the present; and, catching her to his bosom, he found little difficulty in obtaining pardon for his fault.

“Ah, you know, Miles,” said Eveline, withdrawing herself from his embrace, “that a maiden who scolds her lover has more than half forgiven him already.”

It is unnecessary to dwell upon the particulars of a meeting, which, even without experience of like scenes, the imagination will suggest, and which, lacking the spice of personal interest, might appear tame, even to those whose recollection of early emotions still has power to send the blood with a livelier glow through the heart.  From his conversation with Eveline, the apprehensions in regard to Sir Christopher, which began to invade the mind of Arundel, were increased, although his fears were of an indefinite character.  Without being able to determine exactly what were the accusations against the Knight, of one thing at least he became certain—­that they were commonly considered of too serious a nature to be passed by in silence; that any services would hardly screen him from censure or punishment of some sort, if they were proved; and that Spikeman was exerting his malignity against him to an extraordinary degree.

Upon leaving Eveline, Arundel meditated on the conduct he ought to adopt, whether to remain and await the arrival of Sir Christopher on the next day, as he originally intended, or to return and inform him of what he had learned.  That some calamity threatened his friend, was plain.  What it was, was not so evident.  The only cause of complaint against him he could discern, was a supposed connection with Sir Ferdinando Gorges.  On this point he knew that Winthrop and his council were extremely sensitive, warmly resenting the claim which that gentleman made, and was trying to prosecute in England, adverse to their patent, which he declared was void, and determined to punish whoever should assert the title of Sir Ferdinando as superior to their own, or should in any respect countenance or abet him in his schemes.  As for other intimations, Arundel considered them as only additions, which stories, like rolling snowballs, naturally receive in their progress, and which, in the present instance, deserved even less credit than usual, on account of their vagueness and improbability.  What motive could there be, for example, to induce Sir Christopher to arrogate a title which did not belong to him, when there was every chance of detection, and no important advantage to be gained?  He had never noticed in the Knight any assumption of superiority,