am mistaken. So gallant and so high-born----" And he checked himself,
then added, "Daughter, in your wilfulness you have stirred a great rock.
Go to your bed and pray God that it may not fall upon your house and
crush it and us."

So Margaret crept away frightened, a little indignant also, for after
all, what wrong had she done? And why should her father mistrust this
splendid-looking Spanish cavalier?

When she was gone, Peter, who all this while had said little, looked up
and asked straight out:

"What are you afraid of, Sir?"

"Many things, Peter. First, that use will be made of this matter to
extort much money from me, who am known to be rich, which is a sin best
absolved by angels. Secondly, that if I make trouble about paying, other
questions will be set afoot."

"What questions?"

"Have you ever heard of the new Christians, Peter, whom the Spaniards
call Maranos?"

He nodded.

"Then you know that a Marano is a converted Jew. Now, as it chances--I
tell you who do not break secrets--my father was a Marano. His name does
not matter--it is best forgotten; but he fled from Spain to England for
reasons of his own, and took that of the country whence he