aves, that wound up the
valley bottom and close alongside of the river. The sun was high
enough by this to pierce through the foliage of elms and alders
overhanging the stream and dapple the scarlet habit ahead of me with
pretty spots and patterns of shadow; but not yet high enough to reach
the low-lying summer-leases (as they would be called in my county)
by which the river curved. And here were cattle, yet half-awake,
heaving themselves out of their lairs to stretch themselves and begin
to browse. The war had not touched this part of the valley; and but
for a shot or two fired now and again on the distant hidden hills, we
might have deemed it a hundred miles removed. Nay, we had ridden
scarcely six furlongs before we came to an old man angling. His back
was towards us, and he did not turn to spare us so much as a look.

The cart-track, though here and there it descended close to the brink
and crossed a plashet left by the late floods, held the most of its
course partly level, and some twenty feet above the river. So we
rode for a mile, and came in sight of a second bridge, newer and more
massive than the first, for it carried one of the main highways of
the county. Here also at the confluence of two streams the valley
widened, and as we emerged on the highway out of the gloom my eyes
rested on a broad grassy park sloping up from the bridge, and crowned
with terraces and a noble house.

The entrance to this park lay but a gunshot up the road on our left;
and, coming to it, my lady drew rein.

'Your name?' she asked.

'Medhope.'

'It is singular that I should have found a gentleman,' said she, in a
musing, half-doubtful voice, as I leaned from my saddle, stifling the
pain, and unhasped the gate for her.

Said I dryly, 'The Parliament army, madam, includes a few of us.
I know not why you should press this point: and 'faith you took me
without waiting for credentials; but if it please you I am even a
poor knight of the shire.'

'My husband is fortunate,' said she; and put her horse to the trot
again.

While yet I pondered what she might mean by this--for she said it
without the ghost of a smile--we reached the house and rode into a
great empty back-court, where nevertheless was the main entrance--an
arched doorway with a broad flight of steps. Here she slipped from
her saddle, commanded me to alight, and gave my horse over to our
escort, to lead him to stable. Signing to me, she led the way up the
st