blood to tell these savage men the course my godchild pursued in her
escape; and yet to tell an untruth was repugnant to my nature, and I
said to the captain, "It is a hard matter for me to point out where my
friends are fleeing unto."

"Then you'll be hung as high as Haman at daybreak; so you can take your
choice," said he.

"If I direct you unto the place whereunto she is gone," I said, "it will
be a hard matter to find her."

"That's our business, not yours. Tell us where it is."

"For, suppose she were in hiding in a city, a large busy place like
Bristol, and waited for a conveyance to a foreign land"----

"In Bristol! Oho, say no more! Ensign Morley, take ten of the best
mounted of the troop and scour the northern roads towards Bristol. You
will overtake them ere they are far advanced."

"I pray you, captain," I said, "to observe--I have not told you she is
gone towards Bristol."

"I know you haven't," he said smiling, "I will bear witness you have
kept her secret well; but here we are about to enter the Court, for the
firing is finished. The rebels will be on gibbets within twenty-four
hours, every one."

But there was no sign of the gate being opened. Contrariwise there did
appear, in the dimness of the evening-sky, certain dark caps above the
outside wall, which I did recognize as being worn by the serving-men of
the great lady's friends; and while we were yet talking a flight of
bullets passed close over our heads, and three or four of the troopers
fell off dead men, leaving their saddles empty and their horses
masterless.

"Draw close my men," cried the captain, "right wheel;" and setting his
men an example, he did gallop with what speed he might from the
propinquity of the wall. As for myself, I was in some sort relieved by
the knowledge that the noble mansion still continued in possession of
the Viscount Lessingholm; and comforting myself with the assurance that
no evil could befall my daughter Waller while under his protection, I
did contrive to seize by the bridle one of the dragoons' horses, (a
stout black horse, which, being never claimed, did do my farming work
for fifteen years,) and, climbing up into the saddle, betook me home to
inform my excellent wife of all these dreadful events. All next day, and
all the next--yea, for three whole days--I stayed in my quiet home,
receiving information quietly by means of a note brought to me by my
servants, that the mansion still held out, that Walle