air to claim
her, and I was fain to let her go. But at my passing of her to the step
below, I whispered: "I shall keep the tryst--my first and last with you,
dear lady. Adieu."

So soon as she was gone I made haste to find Richard, having, as I
feared, greatly overstayed my appointment to meet him at the door. He
was not among the promenaders in the hall, so I began to drift again,
through the ball-room and so on to where the spread table stood ringed
with its groups of nibblers. I had made no more than half the round of
the refectory when I saw Margery standing in the curtained arch, looking
this way and that, with anxious terror written plainly in her face.

"What is it?" I asked, when she had found me out.

"'Tis the worst that could happen," she whispered. "You are discovered,
both of you. Colonel Tarleton was too shrewd for us. He has let it be
known among the officers that there are two spies in the house, and
now--Hark! what is that?"

We were standing in a deep window-bay and I drew the curtain an inch or
two. The air without was filled with the trampling of hoofbeats on
greensward. A light-horse troop was surrounding the manor house.

I drew her arm in mine and led her back to the ball-room; 'twas now come
to this, that open publicity was our best safeguard. "We must find
Dick," said I. "Have you seen him?"

"No."

Together we made the slow circuit of the dancing-room, but Jennifer was
not to be found. Out of the tail of my eye I saw a soldier slipping in
here and there to stand statue-like against the wall. This brought it
to a matter of minutes, of seconds, mayhap, and still we looked in vain
for Dick.

"Oh, why did you bring him here? He will surely be taken!" Her voice was
tremulous with fear, and I answered as I could, being sore at heart, in
spite of all, that her chief concern should be for Richard.

But by now my purpose was well taken, and though it appeared that
Richard Jennifer was more than ever my successful rival, I pledge you,
my dears, I had no thought of leaving him behind. So we made another
slow round of the rooms, and whilst we were looking for Dick I spoke in
guarded whispers to warn my lady of Falconnet's return. But the warning
was not needed.

Her shudder of loathing shook the hand on my arm. "That man! Oh,
Monsieur John! I fear him day and night! If I could but run away; but we
are not finding Dick--we _must_ find him quickly!"

There was no other place to look save in the