is look towards the portico
before the east hall.

"Who are these coming?" he cried, startling Miss Sally out of her
musings and her chair.

"Are they your men?" she asked, hastening to join him at the window.

"No, mine are mounted," said he. "Why,--these are Williams and
Sam,--and they are bringing,--yes, it is he! They're bringing him back
a prisoner! She has done it, after all, without consulting me!" And he
strode to the centre of the room, in the utmost elation.

Miss Sally weakened at the imminent prospect of a meeting between the
two enemies in the changed circumstances, and felt the need of her
niece's support.

"I must tell Elizabeth they have him," she said, and ran out to the
east hall, and thence to the dining-room, just in time to avoid seeing
Peyton led in through the outer door, which Cuff had opened at
Williams's call.

The steward and Sam conducted their prisoner immediately into the
parlor. There Colden stood, with a rancorously jubilant smile, to
receive him.

Peyton's wrists were as Williams had tied them. He was without his
hat, which had been knocked off in a brief struggle he had essayed
against his captors in a moment when Sam had lowered the pistol. There
was a little fresh snow on his hair, and more on his shoulders. The
feet of his boots were cased with it. His left arm was held by
Williams, who carried the broken sword, having taken it from the
scabbard at the first opportunity. Peyton's other arm was grasped by
the huge, bony left hand of Sam, who held the cocked pistol in his
right. The two men walked with him to the centre of the parlor, and
stopped.

"By George," said he, turning his face towards Sam, with fire in his
eyes, "had the snow not killed the sound of your sneaking footsteps
till you'd caught my arms behind, I'd have done for the two of you!"

"Good, Williams!" said Colden. "Place him on that chair, and leave him
here with me. But stay in the hall on guard."

"So Miss Elizabeth ordered us, sir," said Williams, dryly, and, with
Sam, conducted Peyton to the chair, on which he sat willingly.

"Of course she did," replied Colden. "Was it not at my suggestion?"

Peyton looked sharply up at the major, who regarded him with the
undisguised pleasure of hate about to be satisfied.

Williams handed the broken sword to Colden, saying, "This was the only
weapon he had, sir. We grabbed him before he could use it. We ran out
behind him from the roadside, and he couldn't hear