ation."

He turned and made a sign to Fred, who touched his horse's flanks, and
rode forward with a peculiar singing noise in his ears.

"You!" said Lady Markham, looking at the young officer in a startled
manner, and then turning from him with a look of disgust, while he saw
that Lil shivered.

"They look upon me as if I were some one who had been the cause of all
this," he thought; but his countenance lightened directly, as Lady
Markham turned to him again, and said gently--

"Forgive me, Fred. This meeting brought up the past. It seemed so
terrible that my boy's companion should be among our enemies."

As she spoke, she held out her hand, which Fred seized and held for a
few moments before he could speak, and when he did give utterance to his
words, they were in a voice broken by emotion.

"I am not your enemy, Lady Markham," he said. "I would do anything to
spare you pain. Lil, won't you shake hands?"

The girl hesitated for a few moments, and then held out her little hand
timidly, but only to turn to her mother directly, and cling to her as
she strove to keep back her sobs.

"Ask him--ask him," she whispered.

"Yes. Tell us, Fred--my poor boy," said Lady Markham, in a low voice,
so as to be unheard by the soldiers close at hand. "Where is my
husband?"

"The last I heard of him, Lady Markham, was that he was with the Cornish
men beyond Plymouth. They are all on the king's side there."

"But was he safe and well?"

"Yes; quite safe and well, and Scarlett--"

"Yes; pray go on. I dared not ask, for fear of hearing bad news."

"I heard that he was quite well, too, and acting as his father's
aide-de-camp."

"Thank Heaven!" sighed Lady Markham, piously. "It is so long since we
had heard from them. Now I can feel more at rest."

She seemed to gain strength from the news; and after a pause she went
on--

"Tell your leader," she said, "that I am grateful, for my child's sake.
He has been most courteous. I did not expect this consideration."

"Oh, Lady Markham, I am sure that you have nothing to fear. The
discipline is so strict among our men. They will only take food and
shelter for a night or two. Any act of disorder would be punished."

Lady Markham drew a breath of relief.

"You are our enemy, Fred," she said softly, "and when we meet again, I
shall not forget to tell my husband of the treatment we have received.
There, Lilian and I will go to our room. You know the place by heart.