go and leave Mistress Margery wanting an answer to her poor little cry
for help?"

I shrugged. "What would you? Has she not taken her affair into her own
hands?"

"God knows how much or little she has had to say about it," said he.
"But I mean to know, too, before I put my name on any company roll." We
were among the trees by this, moving off for safety's sake, since the
day was coming; and he broke off short to wheel and face me as one who
would throttle a growling cur before it has a chance to bite. "We know
the worst of each other now, Jack, and we must stand to our compact. Let
us see her safe beyond peradventure of a doubt; then I'm with you to
fight the redcoats single-handed, if you like. I know what you will
say--that the country calls us now more than ever; but there must needs
be some little rallying interval after all this disaster, and--"

"Have done, Richard," said I. "Set the pace and mayhap I can keep step
with you. What do you propose?"

"This; that we go to Witherby Hall and get speech with Mistress Madge,
if so be--"

"Stay a moment; who are these Witherbys?"

"A dyed-in-the-wool Tory family seated some ten miles across the line in
York district. True, 'tis a rank Tory hotbed over there, and we shall
run some risk."

"Never name risk to me if you love me, Richard Jennifer!" I broke in.
"What is your plan?"

His answer was prompt and to the point. "To press on afoot through the
forest till we come to the York settlement; then to borrow a pair of
Tory horses and ride like gentlemen. Are you game for it?"

I hesitated. "I see no great risk in all this, and whatever the hazard,
'tis less for one than for two. You'd best go alone, Richard."

He saw my meaning; that I would stand aside and let him be her succor if
she needed help. But he would not have it so.

"No," he said, doggedly. "We'll go together, and she shall choose
between us for a champion, if she is in the humor to honor either of us.
That is what 'twill come to in the end; and I warn you fairly, John
Ireton, I shall neither give nor take advantage in this strife. I said
last night that I would stand aside, but that I can not--not till she
herself says the killing word with her own lips."

"And that word will be--?"

"That she loves another man. Come; let us be at it; we should be well
out of this before the plantation people are astir."

XIX

HOW A STUMBLING HORSE BROUGHT TIDINGS

Having a definite thing to do, we se