lost her! Odds fish! But you're a pair of wise ones. I see I shall have
to find me a new Lord High Kidnapper."

The king was right concerning the lampooners, for soon they had the
story, and he became the laughing-stock of London, though Frances's name
was not mentioned.

It is a significant index to the morals of our time that the king's
attempt to kidnap a woman in the streets of London should have aroused
laughter rather than indignation.

As it was, the kidnapping episode brought no harm to my cousin, but she
did not want it to happen again, and so was careful to take a trusted
escort with her when she went abroad thereafter.




CHAPTER X

AT THE MAID'S GARTER


Betty was confined to her room during the greater part of the next month,
and Frances visited her frequently. Notwithstanding my vows not to see
Betty, I was compelled to go with Frances as her body-guard. I even went
so far in my feeble effort to keep my resolution as to suggest Churchill
as a body-guard, but Frances objected, and the quality of my good intent
was not enduring. So I went with my cousin, and the joy in Betty's eyes
whenever we entered her room was not the sort that would come because she