houlder, which was swathed in many bandages, while the blood-stained
rags on the table and the floor told of the seriousness of the wound.

A slender figure was bending over him, gently arranging a pillow under
his head.

"Do you feel easier now, father?"

"Yes, lassie." Then, a moment later, "Why does not Clinton send me a
carriage? He surely does not intend to desert me here."

"Captain Farquharson is searching for one," she answered. And then
turning to the table, she saw me standing in the doorway. The colour
left her face; she gave a little cry, for she thought there were many
men behind me, and that all was lost. So, quickly putting my finger to
my lips, I stepped back into the darkness of the hall, and as I did
so, I heard the old Tory ask, "What's that?"

"It was nothing," she answered. "I thought I saw a ghost."

I stood there in the broad window waiting, for I knew she would come.

Below me was the garden, heavy-scented with the odour of flowers, and
the hum of the night insects was everywhere in the air. Close to the
wall I saw the figures of my scouts. The noise of the tramp of feet,
the creak of waggons, and the voice of command came to me from the
village street.

At last she came and stood before me. In her eyes were great pain and
fear and suffering.

"Tell me," she asked anxiously, "is there any danger for him?"

"More danger for me than for him," I replied. "The whole American
advance guard consists of three men and myself; the rest will follow
in the morning."

"Ah," she cried, and there was hope once more in her voice; "then we
can escape."

"If you can move your father by sunrise, yes," I replied.

"But you," she said, and there was new anxiety in her voice; "you are
in great danger here. When the soldiers come to remove father they
will take you prisoner."

"I care not, Mistress Jean," I answered, "for your eyes have held me
prisoner for many a long day, and all the prison bars in the world are
nothing to me so long as I can look into them."

"Nay," she said, "you must not say such things to me."

And I, taking this as a confirmation of all my fears and that at last
Farquharson had succeeded in his suit, would have bade her good-bye
and gone my way. But before I went I told her of my wishes for her
happiness, and that I had met Farquharson and knew of his skill and
courage.

"Farquharson?" and her eyes were wide open in surprise. "I really
believe you think I am going to marry