or aught you cared, instead of lying wounded here he
might have been dead."

"Mercy! I did not know," gasped the miserable culprit.

"Mercy? Yes; you shall have the choice of your own trees on which to
hang," cried the colonel.

"No, no; mercy!" gasped the trembling man, dropping on his knees; "for
my child's sake--for Heaven's sake--spare me!"

"Father!" cried Fred, excitedly.

"Silence, boy! I am their judge," said Colonel Forrester, sternly.
"Yes, man, for your child's sake, I will spare you, in spite of your
cowardly treachery."

"Father, father!" cried the girl, excitedly; but he could not speak.

"Yes, I will spare you for your child's sake," said the colonel again.
"There, little woman, I forgive you, for you are as brave and
true-hearted as can be. I believe you--every word. Your little heart
was moved to pity for the prisoner, as it has been moved to pity for my
poor boy here, and for my men."

He took her hand in his, and held it.

"I have heard of all your busy nursing, and I do not blame you; I would
rather praise. There, help the old man downstairs, and I am not afraid
of your betraying us."

The girl raised his hand and kissed it before rushing to her father,
flinging her arms about him, and helping him away, so weak and
semi-paralysed by fright that he could hardly totter from the room, the
colonel following to the door, and signing to the soldiers to go down.

"There, he has had his punishment," said the colonel, smiling; "and now
you will be able to rest in peace."

"Thank you, father, thank you," whispered Fred, huskily.

"You see you were not to blame now."

"Not so much as I thought, father."

"Not to blame at all. There, make haste and grow strong, my boy, before
we are driven out in turn by the enemy."

"Are they near, father?"

"No; as far as I know, my boy. But the victors of yesterday are the
defeated to-day, perhaps to win again to-morrow. Ah, my boy, it is
fratricidal work! and, though I love my cause as well as ever, I would
give all I possess as one of the richest men in our county to see home
smiling again in peace."

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.

TOWARDS HOME.

Weeks followed of desultory warfare. One day messengers came bringing
news to the little inn--which had gradually become head-quarters from
the coming there of General Hedley, and the centre to which
reinforcements were continually gathering--that the king's men were once
more in force, and preparati