th:

"None of your advice, sir. I have had all I want of it. Keep your place
or I'll make you."

Then to Beverley:

"Retire, sir. When I wish to see you I'll send for you. At present you
are not needed here."

The English Lieutenant saluted his commander, bowed respectfully to
Alice and said:

"Come with me, Miss, please."

Helm and Beverley exchanged a look of helpless and enquiring rage. It
was as if they had said: "What can we do? Must we bear it?" Certainly
they could do nothing. Any interference on their part would be sure to
increase Alice's danger, and at the same time add to the weight of
their own humiliation.

Alice silently followed the officer out of the room. She did not even
glance toward Beverley, who moved as if to interfere and was promptly
motioned back by the guard. His better judgement returning held him
from a rash and futile act, until Hamilton spoke again, saying loudly
as Alice passed through the door:

"I'll see who's master of this town if I have to shoot every French
hoyden in it!"

"Women and children may well fear you, Colonel Hamilton," said
Beverley. "That young lady is your superior."

"You say that to me, sir!"

"It is the best I could possibly say of you."

"I will send you along with the wench if you do not guard your
language. A prisoner on parole has no license to be a blackguard."

"I return you my parole, sir, I shall no longer regard it as binding,"
said Beverley, by a great effort, holding back a blow; "I will not keep
faith with a scoundrel who does not know how to be decent in the
presence of a young girl. You had better have me arrested and confined.
I will escape at the first opportunity and bring a force here to reckon
with you for your villainy. And if you dare hurt Alice Roussillon I
will have you hanged like a dog!"

Hamilton looked at him scornfully, smiling as one who feels safe in his
authority and means to have his own way with his victim. Naturally he
regarded Beverley's words as the merest vaporings of a helpless and
exasperated young man. He saw very clearly that love was having a hand
in the affair, and he chuckled inwardly, thinking what a fool Beverley
was.

"I thought I ordered you to leave this room," he said with an air and
tone of lofty superiority, "and I certainly mean to be obeyed. Go, sir,
and if you attempt to escape, or in any way break your parole, I'll
have you shot."

"I have already broken it. From this moment I shall not reg