ert?"

"To London," Rupert said. "This is no place for me now. I killed
him in fair fight, and after warning; still, what with Sir William
and my lady mother, there will be no stopping here. You had better
ride back, Hugh, and tell my grandfather, privately, that I am
going to the Earl of Marlborough, to ask him to give me the
cornetcy he promised me."

"With your leave, Master Rupert, I shall do nothing of the sort.
Where you go, I go. My grandfather rode out with yours to Naseby,
and died there. My people have been the tenants of the Chace as
long as the Hollidays have been its lords, and have always followed
their master to the field. My old father would beat me out of the
house with a broom handle, if I went back and said I had let you go
to the wars alone. No, master Rupert, wherever you go, Hugh Parsons
goes too."

Rupert held out his hand, which his companion grasped, and the two
galloped rapidly along the road towards London.

In the meantime all was consternation at the Chace.

Colonel Holliday and Monsieur Dessin were deeply engaged in
conversation when Adele burst in upon them.

"Quick, quick!" she exclaimed, "Monsieur Rupert is fighting with a
wicked young man!"

"Then," said Monsieur Dessin grimly, "it will be very bad for the
wicked young man, whoever he is."

"Where are they?" exclaimed Colonel Holliday.

"In the garden," the girl said, bursting into tears. "The wicked
young man was rude to me, and wanted to kiss me, and Monsieur
Rupert knocked him down, and then they began to fight, and I ran
away."

Monsieur Dessin swore a very deep oath in French, and was about to
hurry out with Colonel Holliday. Then he stopped, and putting his
hand on the colonel's shoulder, said coldly:

"Do not let us hurry, sir. Monsieur Rupert has taken the matter in
his hands. It is as well that he should kill this fellow as that I
should have to do so."

Just at this moment they reached the door, and a young man came
running up to the house shouting:

"Young Mr. Brownlow is killed. Help! help!"

"I think, Monsieur Dessin," Colonel Holliday said, stopping, "it
would be as well if you and mademoiselle were for the present to
leave us. There will be trouble enough, and the fewer in it the
better. Sir William is a hot man, and you are not a cool one.
Enough mischief has been done."

"You are right," Monsieur Dessin said. "Will you tell Monsieur
Rupert that so long as my arm can lift a sword it is at his
servi