Do you give it ?" "I do; but I expect a friend here shortly, and cannot start until he comes." "If you mean me by that, I am here," said a voice at his elbow; and, looking round, he saw Hubert himself, standing there, a quiet listener and spectator of the scene.
Count L'Estrange looked at him with interest, and Hubert, affecting not to notice the survey, watched Sir Norman.
"Well," was that individual's eager address, "were you successful ?" The count was still watching the boy so intently, that that most discreet youth was suddenly seized with a violent fit of coughing, which precluded all possibility of reply for at least five minutes; and Sir Norman, at the same moment, felt his arm receive a sharp and warning pinch.
"Is this your friend ?" asked the count.

"He is a very small one, and seems in a bad state of health." Sir Norman, still under the influence of the pinch, replied by an inaudible murmur, and looked with a deeply mystified expression, at Hubert.
"He bears a strong resemblance to the lady we were talking of a moment ago," continued the count--"is sufficiently like her, in fact, to be her brother; and, I see wears the livery of the Earl of Rochester." "God spare you your eye-sight!" said Sir Norman, impatiently.

"Can you not see, among the rest, that I have a few words to say to him in private?
Permit us to leave you for a moment." "There is no need to do so.

I will leave you, as I have a few words to say to the person who is with me." So saying the count walked away, and Hubert followed him with a most curious look.
"Now," cried Sir Norman, eagerly, "what news ?" "Good!" said the boy.

"Leoline is safe!" "And where ?" "Not far from here.