ked again through the glass, after which he kept on waving for some
time. Then after a last look he put away the glass, and walked slowly,
leading both horses, to the place where he had left Lady Eleanor. She
was lying back with her face covered with her hands.

"Come," he said gently. "The Corporal has found them and they are safe
and well. I made them repeat the signal twice, so that I am quite
sure, and I have signalled to the search-parties to go home. Let me
put you on your horse."

See looked up like one dazed; but there was Colonel George holding out
his hand to her, so she took it and rose to her feet; and then she
seized the hand between both of hers and wrung it hard without a word.
He lifted her into the saddle, and no sooner was he mounted than she
started to gallop down the hill at a pace which made it hard for
Colonel George to keep up with her. Away she flew, and he felt
thankful that she was a fine horsewoman and mounted on his horse
instead of her own, which was not nearly so clever over rough ground;
though he could not help reflecting that he could never have found it
in his conscience to hustle a horse of hers as she hustled his. There
were two or three valleys to cross, which gave the animals a little
respite, but not much, for Lady Eleanor went equally fast, uphill,
downhill and on the level. So that when they arrived at the Hall
Colonel George, after seeing Lady Eleanor run in to the children, only
looked at his horse's heaving flanks, shook his head, and led him off
to the stable to look after him himself. There he heard the whole
story from the Corporal, and leaving a message for Lady Eleanor that he
would call next day, rode back very quietly to Fitzdenys Court.

CHAPTER X

It need hardly be said that when her first joy over the recovery of the
children was over, Lady Eleanor's instant thought was for the strange
woman and her idiot son, who had befriended them and saved them for
her. She longed to thank and to reward them, but she could not think
how to find them; and moreover it was plain that, for some reason which
she could not divine, the woman wished to keep out of her way. It was
difficult for her to believe that there could be any harm in the woman,
after the care that she had taken of the children; but on the other
hand there was Tommy Fry, still speechless. She was thankful when
Colonel George came over next day, that she might discuss matters with
him.

But he