"I thank you,
Mistress Maud, for telling me of this," she said, with a mock reverence,
"for you have removed the last scruple I had in accepting him." Whether
this was true, or whether the gay manner was only put on, Maud could not
tell, but it made her very unhappy, and instead of going down to the
keeping-room, to be watched by Mistress Mabel, she went to pay her usual
visit to Dame Coppins at once, instead of later on in the day.

As she reached the blacksmith's corner she saw a little crowd gathered
round, and heard the sound of women crying; and when she drew near she
found it was the soldiers leaving with the spoil of the previous day's
revel--the six men who had taken service for the King.

She had heard of it before she left home; but the thought that Roger
might meet and fight against the young master whom he loved almost
overcame her now, and she could hardly restrain her tears when the
downcast-looking man ventured to say farewell as she was passing.

"Farewell Roger, and Godspeed to you, and quickly bring this war to a
close, and you back to us. You will not forget to be kind to Master
Harry if ever he should need it," added Maud; for it might be that as a
royalist soldier Roger would have that power some day, she thought; and
then she rode on down the lane, while the poor fellows who were going
away bade wives and sisters cheer up and take example by Mistress Maud,
whose lover would soon have to go to the wars too, for the villagers had
quite settled the affair for Captain Stanhope to their own satisfaction.

As Maud went on to the cottage she wondered when the marriage was to
take place between Mary and Captain Stanhope. It could not be for some
time, she thought--not until this dreadful war was over, and then she
sighed as she thought of the misery this was causing.

When she reached the cottage she found the old woman looking very weak
and ill, and so feeble she could hardly speak. Maud was alarmed. "What
is the matter," she said; "are you ill?"

The poor old creature shook her head--"Not ill," she gasped, "but, oh,
so hungry." Maud ran to the cupboard; there was not a bit of anything in
the shape of food, but a little pile of halfpence in one corner.

Maud took these into her hand. "Why did you not buy yourself a rye
loaf?" she said. Dame Coppins shook her head. "They will not sell
anything to me," she said.

It was true enough; the villagers had determined to starve out the witch
if they could