dare swear it," returned Donald Roy dryly. "And did you make
yourself known to her?"

"No, she went straight to her room. Volney has given it out that the lady
is his wife and is demented. His man Watkins spreads the report broadcast
to forestall any appeal she may make for help. I talked with the valet in
the stables. He had much to say about how dearly his master and his
mistress loved each other, and what a pity 'twas that the lady has lately
fallen out of her mind by reason of illness. 'Twas the one thing that
spoilt the life of Mr. Armitage, who fairly dotes on his sweet lady. Lud,
yes! And one of her worst delusions is that he is not really her husband
and that he wishes to harm her. Oh, they have contrived well their
precious story to avoid outside interference."

I found more than one cause to doubt the fortunate issue of the enterprise
upon which we were engaged. Volney might take the other road; or he might
postpone his journey on account of the foul weather. Still other
contingencies rose to my mind, but Donald Roy and Creagh made light of
them.

"Havers! If he is the man you have drawn for me he will never be letting a
smirr of rain interfere with his plans; and as for the other road, it will
be a river in spate by this time," the Highlander reassured me.

"Sure, I'll give you four to one in ponies the thing does not miscarry,"
cried Creagh in his rollicking way. "After the King comes home I'll dance
at your wedding, me boy; and here's to Mrs. Montagu that is to be,
bedad!"

My wildest dreams had never carried me so far as this yet, and I flushed
to my wig at his words; but the wild Irishman only laughed at my
remonstrance.

"Faith man, 'tis you or I! 'Twould never do for three jolly blades like us
to steal the lady from her lover and not offer another in exchange. No,
no! Castle Creagh is crying for a mistress, and if you don't spunk up to
the lady Tony Creagh will."

To his humour of daffing I succumbed, and fell into an extraordinary ease
with the world. Here I sat in a snug little tavern with the two most
taking comrades in the world drinking a hot punch brewed to a nicety,
while outside the devil of a storm roared and screamed.

As for my companions, they were old campaigners, not to be ruffled by the
slings of envious fortune. Captain Donald Roy was wont to bear with
composure good luck and ill, content to sit him down whistling on the
sodden heath to eat his mouthful of sour brose with the sa