ever set me in.

Arrived at a pair of doors in the main passage, she showed me the one
that opened to my Lord's bed-chamber and ran away; ran with her hands to
her face as if to shut out a sight which would not bear looking upon.

I turned my back stiffly upon this newer wonder, pulled myself together
and rapped on the door. A voice within bade me enter; the door opened
under my hand and I stood in the presence of the man who, as I made no
doubt, would shortly summon his guards and have me out to my rope and
tree.

XXXIV

HOW I MET A GREAT LORD AS MAN TO MAN

The room in which I found myself was the guest-chamber, furnished
luxuriously, for that day and place, in French-fashioned mahogany and
gilt. The bed was high and richly canopied, as befitted a peer's resting
place; there was a square of Turkish drugget on the floor, a cheerful
fire burning in the chimney arch, and on the small table whereat the
occupant of the guest-room had lately breakfasted, a goodly display of
the Ireton silver.

My Lord was busy at his writing-desk when I entered; but when he looked
up I saw the light of instant recognition in his eye. Never, I think,
did another prisoner at the bar strive harder to read his sentence in
his judge's eyes than I did in that moment of suspense. I liked not much
the look he gave me; but his greeting was affable and kindly enough.

"Ah, Captain Ireton; 'tis you, is it? We are well met, at last. They
told me you were gone to join the rebels, did they not?"

Here was an opening for a bold man, and in a flash I came to the
right-about, choked down the defiance I had meant to hurl at him, and
took quick counsel of cool audacity.

"Indeed, my Lord, I know not what they have told you. In times past, the
king had no truer soldier than I; and when I came across seas 'twas not
to fight against him. But that I have not joined the rebels is no fault
of certain of your Lordship's officers."

"Say you so? But how is this? Surely I am not mistaken. I could be
certain Colonel Tarleton reported your taking as a spy, and his trying
of you. And was there not something about a rescue at the last moment by
a band of these border bravos? But stay; let us have the colonel's story
at first hands. Have the goodness to ring the bell for me, will you,
Captain?"

The crisis was come. A pull at the bell-cord would summon the guard, and
the guard would be sent after Colonel Tarleton. Well, said the demon
Despair, 'tis t