d as follows:

"My dear Master Holliday--Sir John Loveday and myself are engaged
in an adventure which promises some entertainment, albeit it is not
without a spice of danger. We need a good comrade who can on
occasion use his sword, and we know that we can rely on you. On
receipt of this, please mount your horse and ride to the old mill
which lies back from the road in the valley beyond Dettinheim.
There you will find your sincere friend, Fairholm.

"P.S. It would be as well not to mention whither you are going to
ride."

It was the first note that Rupert had received from Lord Fairholm,
and delighted at the thought of an adventure, he called Hugh, and
bade him saddle his horse.

"Shall I go with you, Master Rupert?" Hugh asked, for he generally
rode behind Rupert as his orderly.

Rupert did not answer for a moment. Lord Fairholm had asked him to
tell no one; but he meant, no doubt, that he should tell none of
his brother officers. On Hugh's silence, whatever happened, he
could rely, and he would be useful to hold the horses. At any rate,
if not wanted, he could return.

"Ay, Hugh, you can come; and look you, slip a brace of pistols
quietly into each of our holsters."

With a momentary look of surprise, Hugh withdrew to carry out his
instructions; and ten minutes later, Rupert, followed by his
orderly, rode out of the convent.

The mill in question lay some three miles distant, and about half a
mile beyond the little hamlet of Dettinheim. It stood some distance
from the road, up a quiet valley, and was half hidden in trees. It
had been worked by a stream that ran down the valley. It was a
dark, gloomy-looking structure; and the long green weeds that hung
from the great wheel, where the water from the overshot trough
splashed and tumbled over it, showed that it had been for some time
abandoned. These things had been noticed by Rupert when riding past
it some time before, for, struck with the appearance of the mill,
he had ridden up the valley to inspect it.

On his ride to Lord Fairholm's rendezvous, he wondered much what
could be the nature of the adventure in which they were about to
embark. He knew that both his friends were full of life and high
spirits, and his thoughts wandered between some wild attempt to
carry off a French officer of importance, or an expedition to
rescue a lovely damsel in distress. Hugh, equally wondering, but
still more ignorant of the nature of the expedition, rode quietly
on b