y with you, or we'll rouse the citadel and
train the guns."

Her retort was met with boisterous laughter and mocking cries of "Down
with the doors!" "Break in the windows!"

This was a move Nell had not anticipated. She jumped from the ledge, or
rather tumbled into the room, nervously dropping her disguise upon the
floor.

"Heaven preserve us," she said to Moll, with quite another complexion in
her tone, "they are coming in! Oh, Moll, Moll, I did not think they
would dare."

Moll closed the sashes and bolted them, then hugged Nell close.

"Ho, there, within!" came, in a guttural voice, now from without the
door.

"Yes?" Nell tried to say; but the word scarce went beyond her lips.

Again in guttural tones came a second summons--"Nell! Nell!"

Nell turned to Moll for support and courage, whispering: "Some arrant
knave calls Nell at this hour." Then, assuming an attitude of bravery,
with fluttering heart, she answered, as best she could, in a forced
voice: "Nell's in bed!"

"Yes, Nell's in bed," echoed the constant Moll. "Everybody's in bed.
Call to-morrow!"

"No trifling, wench!" commanded the voice without, angrily. "Down with
the door!"

"Stand close, Moll," entreated Nell, as she answered the would-be
intruder with the question:

"Who are ye? Who are ye?"

"Old Rowley himself!" replied the guttural voice.

This was followed by hoarse laughter from many throats.

"The King--as I thought!" whispered Nell. "Good lack; what shall I do
with Adair? Plague on't, he'll be mad if I keep him waiting, and madder
if I let him in. Where are your wits, Moll? Run for my gown; fly--fly!"

Moll hastened to do the bidding.

Nell rushed to the entry-door, in frantic agitation.

"The bolt sticks, Sire," she called, pretending to struggle with the
door, hoping so to stay his Majesty until she should have time to
dispose of poor Adair. "How can I get out of these braveries?" she then
asked herself, tugging awkwardly at one part of the male attire and then
at another. "I don't know which end of me to begin on first."

Moll re-entered the room with a bundle of pink in her arms, which turned
out to be a flowing, silken robe, trimmed with lace.

"Here is the first I found," she said breathlessly.

Nell motioned to her nervously to put it upon the couch.

"Help me out of this coat," she pleaded woefully.

Moll took off the coat and then assisted Nell to circumscribe with the
gown, from heels to head, her stunning fi