"Hush, man, some one may hear!"
"Hear!" and the other laughed scornfully. "There's not a living soul within three miles of the place. I say Duke James will have to wait. The thing must be found, but this springald hath it not, spite of the woman's speech."
"Doth the thing exist at all?"
"Exist! You should have seen the look on Duke James' face when I told him what Katharine Harcomb had said to me. 'By the Holy Virgin, Hamilton,' said he, speaking like the good Catholic he is, 'get hold of the young rascal. Never let him out of your sight until you have obtained all he hath found, and know all he can tell you.'"
"Did he say that?"
"Ay he did. I tell you he puts great store on it."
"But the fellow hath it not."
"No, and what is worse we have so nearly killed him that he might as well be dead."
"Well, what are we to do?"
"We can do nought but return to London, and wait for the coming of the king. At all events the king is king, thanks to Monk."