e.

"Poor mother!" he sighed; "she would not value every jewel she possesses
as a featherweight against my safety. They must go, I suppose; but oh,
what a delight to make the rogues disgorge!"

"Plaguey dark," said one of the new-comers. "Light enough for what we
want to do, my lad. Shut and fasten the door. We don't want any one to
share our bit of luck."

"No. Just enough for two. It may be weeks before we get such another
chance."

They were evidently well-to-do men, by their conversation, probably
officers; and Scarlett bit his lip with rage as he thought of his
mother's watch and chain, and the beautiful set of pearls, his father's
present to her in happier days. Then, too, there was a case with rings
and brooches, beside many other elegant little trifles that would be
welcome to a plunderer.

Once more the desire to rush out and face these wretches was strong upon
him, but a moment's reflection told him that to do so was to surrender
himself a prisoner, and place himself beyond the power of giving
valuable information to the general, his father, who might unwittingly
come on to his old home and walk into a trap.

"Better lose a thousand times as many jewels," he muttered, "than that.
Let them steal, for I suppose my poor mother would not have placed her
treasures in a place of safety." He listened breathlessly behind the
thick curtain, hoping that the plunderers would be quick and leave, and
give him the opportunity to escape.

The chance came more quickly than he had anticipated, for it seemed from
the footsteps that the men had gone into the inner chamber, leaving him
free to slip out.

His hand was upon the thick fold of the curtain, for all was still in
his mother's room, and he was mentally going on tiptoe to the door, when
there was a loud yawn from the _prie dieu_ chair close to the bed's
head, and a voice almost at his elbow said--

"Well, what's it like?"

"Can't see much; but it seems a cosy little nest, as soft as can be."

"Which will you have, that or this?"

"Oh, I'll stop here," was the reply.

"Then may the trumpeter forget to blow for twenty-four hours," said the
voice at Scarlett's elbow, "and the enemy never know that we are here."

"Amen!" came from the further room.

"And, I say," exclaimed Scarlett's neighbour, as he seemed to be moving
about vigorously.

"Yes."

"Don't disturb anything. Poor ladies! it's like sacrilege to take
possession here; but when there's