re Warwick gaol. Pooh, my dear! you
never would sacrifice a darling boy like John Hayes, let alone his lady,
for the sake of my long carcass. One or two of our gentlemen have been
taken that way already, because parents and guardians would not believe
them."

"AND WHAT BECAME OF THE POOR CHILDREN?" said Mrs. Hayes, who began to
perceive the gist of the argument, and to grow dreadfully frightened.

"Don't let's talk of them, ma'am: humanity shudthers at the thought!"
And herewith Mr. Macshane drew his finger across his throat in such a
dreadful way as to make the two parents tremble. "It's the way of war,
madam, look you. The service I have the honour to belong to is not paid
by the Queen; and so we're obliged to make our prisoners pay, according
to established military practice."

No lawyer could have argued his case better than Mr. Macshane so far;
and he completely succeeded in convincing Mr. and Mrs. Hayes of the
necessity of ransoming their son. Promising that the young man should
be restored to them next morning, along with his beautiful lady, he
courteously took leave of the old couple, and made the best of his way
back to Worcester again. The elder Hayes wondered who the lady could
be of whom the ambassador had spoken, for their son's elopement was
altogether unknown to them; but anger or doubt about this subject was
overwhelmed by their fears for their darling John's safety. Away rode
the gallant Macshane with the money necessary to effect this; and it
must be mentioned, as highly to his credit, that he never once thought
of appropriating the sum to himself, or of deserting his comrades in any
way.

His ride from Worcester had been a long one. He had left that city
at noon, but before his return thither the sun had gone down; and the
landscape, which had been dressed like a prodigal, in purple and
gold, now appeared like a Quaker, in dusky grey; and the trees by the
road-side grew black as undertakers or physicians, and, bending their
solemn heads to each other, whispered ominously among themselves; and
the mists hung on the common; and the cottage lights went out one by
one; and the earth and heaven grew black, but for some twinkling useless
stars, which freckled the ebon countenance of the latter; and the
air grew colder; and about two o'clock the moon appeared, a dismal
pale-faced rake, walking solitary through the deserted sky; and about
four, mayhap, the Dawn (wretched 'prentice-boy!) opened in the east