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THE next day, Governor and Councilors sat to receive presents froes froh, who, like the player queen, did protest too much The Council met at Yeardley's house, and I was called before it to make my report of the expedition of the day before It was late afternoon when the Governor dis the house in company with Master Pory

"I auest house "My lord hath Xeres wine that is the very original nectar of the gods, and he drinks it fro's ranso hatchets: bury thine for the nonce, Ralph Percy, and come drink with us"

"Not I," I said "I would sooner drink with--sohed "Here's my lord himself shall persuade you"

My lord, dressed with his usualwithin the guest-house door Pory drew up beside hiht me by the sleeve At the Governor's house wine had been set forth to revive the jaded Council, and he was already half seas over "Tarry with us, captain!" he cried "Good wine's good wine, nodays ot they were foes when the bottle went round!"

"If Captain Percy will stay," quoth ood wine As Master Pory says, ives to-le new zest"

He spoke frankly, with open face and candid eyes I was not fooled If yesterday he would have slain ht, it was not so to-day Under the lace that fell over his wrist was a red cirque, thehich I had bound him As if he had told me, I knew that he had thrown his scruples to the winds, and that he cared not what foul play he used to sweep er Of a sudden I resolved to accept his invitation

"So be it," I said, with a laugh and a shrug of reat matter I'll take it at your hands, my lord, and drink to our better acquaintance"

We all three went up intohad fitted out his e, and the riches that had decked the state cabin aboard the Santa Teresa now served to transforuest house at Ja with arras, there was a noble carpet beneath as well as upon the table, and against the wall stood richly carved trunks On the table, beside a bowl of late floere a great silver flagon and a nulass, strangely shaped and fragile as an eggshell The late sun now shining in at the openlow like precious stones