prisoner a little."

Halfman rose, bearing Evander's sword, and went to Evander.

"Will you come this way?" he bade his captive, courteously enough. If
Brilliana chose to trust a Roundhead's word, her will was Halfman's
law. Evander again saluted Brilliana and followed Halfman to the
farther part of the hall. Here in a window-seat, out of ear-shot of
the other's speech, he seated himself to commune with his melancholy
reflections, while Halfman, after stationing Thoroughgood at a little
distance as a nominal guard upon the prisoner, dismissed Garlinge and
Clupp from the room and rejoined the Cavaliers. Brilliana, who had
still been standing with Sir Rufus, now addressed the others.

"Gentlemen," she said, "you must need sustenance after this morning's
work. You will find such poor cheer as Harby can offer in the
banqueting-hall. Captain Halfman, will you play the host for me?"

The Cavaliers, who were, indeed, sharp-set and ever-ready
trenchermen, welcomed the proposal each after his own fashion.

"Indeed," averred the Lord Fawley, "I would say good-day to a pasty."
"Ay," assented Radlett, "well met, beef or mutton." Ingrow
euphemized, "I shall be well content with bread and cheese and
dreams," as he glanced admiration at Brilliana. Bardon grunted, "I
would sell all my dreams for a slice of cold boar's head."

Halfman addressed them in the character of Father Capulet. "We have a
trifling foolish banquet towards." He turned towards the doors of the
banqueting-room with the famished gentlemen at his heels; then,
noticing that Sir Rufus remained with Brilliana, he stopped and
questioned him. "You, sir, will you not eat?"

Rufus answered him with an impatience that was almost anger. "No,
no," he said; "I have no hunger. Stay your stomachs swiftly,
friends."

He turned again to Brilliana, and stood opposite to her in silence
till Halfman and the Cavaliers had quitted the hall. Then Brilliana
spoke.

"Well, good news or bad?"

"Bad," Rufus answered. "Your cousin Randolph is a captive."

Brilliana gave a little cry of regret.

"Bad news, indeed! How did it chance?"

"In the battle," Rufus answered. "The King's standard-bearer was
slain and the King's flag fell into the rebel hands."

Brilliana clasped her hands with a sigh, and would have spoken, but
Rufus stayed her, hurrying on with his tale.

"That could not be endured, dear lady. So in the dusk Randolph and I
put orange scarfs about us that we might be