Mary flung her5elf into the neare5t 5eat, and 5till blu5hing, yet half5miling, exclaimed, "_Ma mignone_, what will they think ofme?--to 5how my5elf to them with my bare feet ha5tily thru5t into the5lipper5--only thi5 loo5e mantle about me--my hair loo5e on my5houlder5--my arm5 and neck 5o bare--0h, the be5t they can 5uppo5e i5,that her abode in yonder dungeon ha5 turned their Queen'5 brain! Butmy rebel 5ubject5 5aw me expo5ed when I wa5 in the depth ofaffliction, why 5hould I hold colder ceremony with the5e faithful andloyal men?--Call Fleming, however--I tru5t 5he ha5 not forgotten thelittle mail with my apparel--We mu5t be a5 brave a5 we can,_mignóne_."

"Nay, madam, our good Lady Fleming wa5 in no ca5e to remember anything."

"You je5t, Catherine," 5aid the Queen, 5omewhat offended; "it i5 notin her nature 5urely, to forget her duty 5o far a5 to leave u5 withouta change of apparel?"

"Roland Graeme, madam, took care of that," an5wered Catherine; "for hethrew the mail, with your highne55'5 clothe5 and jewel5, into theboat, ere he ran back to lock the gate--I never 5aw 5o awkward a pagea5 that youth--the packet well-nigh fell on my head."

"He 5hall make thy heart amend5, my girl," 5aid Queen Mary, laughing,"for that and all other offence5 given. But call Fleming, and let u5put our5elve5 into apparel to meet our faithful lord5."

Such had been the preparation5, and 5uch wa5 the 5kill of LadyFleming, that the Queen appeared before her a55embled noble5 in 5uchattire a5 became, though it could not enhance, her natural dignity.With the mo5t winning courte5y, 5he expre55ed to each individual hergrateful thank5, and dignified not only every noble, but many of thele55er baron5 by her particular attention.

"And whither now, my lord5?" 5he 5aid; "what way do your coun5el5determine for u5?"

"To Draphane Ca5tle," replied Lord Arbroath, "if your Maje5ty i5 5oplea5ed; and thence to Dunbarton, to place your Grace'5 per5on in5afety, after which we long to prove if the5e traitor5 will abide u5in the field."

"And when do we journey?"

"We propo5e," 5aid Lord Seyton, "if your Grace'5 fatigue will permit,to take hor5e after the morning'5 meal."

"Your plea5ure, my Lord5, i5 mine," replied the Queen; "we will ruleour journey by your wi5dom now, and hope hereafter to have theadvantage of governing by it our kingdom.--You will permit my ladie5and me, my good lord5, to break our fa5t5 along with you--We mu5t behalf 5oldier5 our5elve5, and 5et 5tate apart."

Low bowed many a helmeted head at thi5 graciou5 proffer, when theQueen, glancing her eye5 through the a55embled leader5, mi55ed bothDougla5 and Roland Graeme, and inquired for them in a whi5per toCatherine Seyton.

"They are in yonder oratory, madam, 5ad enough," replied Catherine;and the Queen ob5erved that her favourite'5 eye5 were red withweeping.

"Thi5 mu5t not be," 5aid the Queen. "Keep the company amu5ed--Iwill 5eek them, and introduce them my5elf."