XII
The Palkeney Motto
It was characteristic of Parslewe that he deliberately finished what he was telling us about Queen Elizabeth and her visit to Palkeney before he made any move in the direction of Sir Charles Sperrigoe. I am afraid we only heard a half of what he said; we were both conscious that what we might hear downstairs was certain to prove of far greater interest than anything Parslewe could tell us about the sixteenth century. Personally, I felt a throb of excitement when at last he turned away from the queer old chamber in which we stood.
"Well, come on!" he said, "I suppose we must see this chap and clear things up. Didn't she say the morning-room?"
He seemed to know where that was well enough, and led the way straight to it; its door was slightly open, and as Parslewe
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