in Her Majesty's name."

I obeyed, as a matter of course.

"I say--you, sir, inside--do you know where you are going? Right into
the centre of a troop of the Royal Yeomanry Cavalry! If you are a
gentleman and a loyal subject, you will open the door immediately, and
desire the vehicle to be stopped."

In order to give due effect to this remonstrance, and also to impress
the inmate with a proper sense of the consequences of interference with
martial discipline, I bestowed cut No. Seven with all my might upon the
machine. To my horror, and that of my companions, there arose from
within a prolonged and double-voiced squall.

"Hang me, if it isn't women!" said the sergeant.

"Yer mither wull be proud o' ye the nicht," said the Incubus on the
atomy, "when it's tell't her that ye hae whanged at an auld machine, and
frichtet twa leddies to the skirlin'! Ony hoo, M'Whirter, gin that's
your name, there'll be half-a-croun to pay for the broken brodd!"

The small sliding-panel at the back of the machine was now cautiously
opened.

"Goodness gracious, Mr M'Whirter!" said a voice which I instantly
recognised to be that of Edith Bogle, "is it possible that can be you?
Is it the custom, sir, of the Scottish yeomen to break in upon the
privacy of two young defenceless females, and even to raise their
weapons against the place which contains them? Fie, sir! is this your
boasted chivalry?"

"O George--go away, do! I am really quite ashamed of you!" said the
voice of my cousin, Mary Muggerland.

I thought I should have dropped from my saddle.

"Friends of yours, eh, M'Whirter?" said Randolph. "Rather an awkward
fix, I confess. What's to be done?"

"Would the regulars have behaved thus?" cried Edith, with increased
animation. "Would they have insulted a woman? Never. Begone, sir--I am
afraid I have been mistaken in you"----

"By my honour, Edith!--Miss Bogle, I mean--you do me gross injustice! I
did not know--I could not conceive that you, or Mary, or any other lady,
were in the machine, and then--consider my orders"----

"Orders, sir! There are some orders which never ought to be obeyed. But
enough of this. If you have delicacy enough to feel for our situation,
you will not protract this interview. Drive on, boy! and you, Mr
M'Whirter, if you venture to interrupt us further, never expect my
pardon."

"Nor mine!" added Mary Muggerland.

"Who the mischief cares for yours, you monkey!" muttered I _sotto voce_.
"But Edith-