alled in to divest himself of his clothes,
and soon afterwards he sent down the bundle, and with it Barbara sought
the stranger, while Matthew, feeling very well satisfied with the day's
work, sauntered to the stables to examine the wounds of the Roundhead
soldiers. He found them groaning, but in a way to recover, and then,
calling the boys, he set them to prepare the horses against their
journey. It was approaching evening, but the month being June, there
was no chance of a dark departure, even if they waited as late as
half-past eight, so that one hour of leaving was almost as safe as
another.

Barbara found her prisoner very tired of his confinement, and very
hungry. She explained the cause of her delay, and, leaving him to
change into the clothes as quickly as he might, she hurried off for
food. When she came back, the young man, looking for all the world like
a darker Rupert, was standing in the library with his own clothes in
his hand.

"My brother will tell you what has been devised for you," Barbara said.

"Thank you," he replied, putting out his hand. "Thank you, sweet
preserver. I shall see you again, I know; but it may be long, very
long. Will you keep this ring? Show it to your father when he returns,
and guard it carefully till we meet in the future. Then you shall give
it me once more." He slipped the ring on her finger and kissed it.

A moment later he stood in the courtyard beside Rupert's horse, where
the others were waiting.

"Heavens!" said Hugh to Philip; "what's happened to Rupe?"

"Yes," echoed Vernon, "who's that in old Rupe's clothes?"

"Shut up!" Philip hissed, fixing them with a meaning glance. "Say
another word, and I'll flay you! That's Rupert Ommaney, and no one
else, and I warn you to remember it."

"Come along, Rupert," he cried cheerily, aloud to the stranger. "It's
time we were off."

With that they swung into the saddle, and rattled out of the courtyard,
the stranger in the midst. As he rounded the corner of the house he
looked back and smiled farewell to Barbara and the smith and Jack, who
stood together watching the departure. Barbara waved her hand, and a
moment later her fugitive was out of sight.

"THAT'S NOT ALL, IS IT?" HESTER INQUIRED ANXIOUSLY, AS MISS REDSTONE
STOPPED.

"ISN'T IT A GOOD ENDING?" SHE ASKED.

"NO," SAID GREGORY, "OF COURSE NOT. I WANT TO KNOW IF HE GOT TO THE
HARBOUR ALL RIGHT, AND WHO HE WAS."

"OH, I THINK WE KNOW WHO HE WAS," JANET SAID.