rched the cottage for her? She was at that very moment here,
in this house, hidden in your own room, though she did not know that it
was yours. I saved her then. Oh, I have known her longer than you
think."

Stirred by a sudden emotion Prescott stooped down and kissed his mother.

"I have always known that you were a wonderful woman," he said, "but I
gave you credit for less courage and daring than you really have."

Some one knocked.

"There they are now," exclaimed Mrs. Prescott, and hurrying forward she
opened the door. Lucia Catherwood and Charlotte Grayson entered. At
first they did not see Prescott, who stood near the window, but when his
tall form met their eyes Miss Grayson uttered a little cry and the
colour rose high in Lucia's face.

"We are surprised to see you, Captain Prescott," she said.

"But glad, too, I hope," he replied.

"Yes, glad, too," she said frankly.

She seemed to have changed. Some of her reserve was gone. This was a
great event in her life and she was coming into a new world without
losing the old.

"Miss Catherwood," Prescott said, "I am glad that my mother's house is
to be the shelter of Miss Grayson and yourself at such a time. We have
one or two faithful and strong-armed servants who will see that you
suffer no harm."

The two women hesitated and were embarrassed. Prescott saw it.

"You will not be bothered much by me," he said. "I have no instructions,
but it is obvious that I should go forth and help maintain order." Then
he added: "I saw Mr. Sefton departing. He bade me good-by as if he did
not expect ever to be in Richmond again."

Again Lucia Catherwood flushed.

"He said a like farewell to me," she said.

Prescott's gaze met hers, and she flushed deeper than ever as her eyes
dropped for a moment.

"I hope that he has gone forever," said Prescott. "He is an able man and
I admire him in many ways. But I think him a dangerous man, too."

"Amen," said Miss Charlotte Grayson with emphasis. Lucia was silent, but
she did not seem to be offended.

He went presently into the street, where, indeed, his duty called him.
When a capital, after years of war, is about to fall, the forces of evil
are always unchained, and now it was so with Richmond. Out from all the
slums came the men and women of the lower world, and down by the navy
storehouses the wharf-rats were swarming. They were drunk already, and
with foul words on their lips they gathered before the stores, looking