, and almost shook me, and said, 'Where is
Alice?' Upon my word, I had almost forgotten you. I said you were
upstairs, and one of those wretches was there too. He looked as black
as a fury, and went up in about three steps. I always thought he had
such a sweet temper, but to-night he seemed just to _love_ to fight.
Now I think of it, Alice, you hardly spoke to him. You must not let him
think we are ungrateful. You must write him a nice note to-morrow."

Alice laid her head upon her mother's shoulder, where her wet eyes
could not be seen. "Mamma," she asked, "did he say 'Where is Alice?'
Did he say nothing but 'Alice'?"

"Now, don't be silly," said Mrs. Belding. "Of course he said 'Alice.'
You wouldn't expect a man to be Miss Beldinging you at such a time. You
are quite too particular."

"He called me Miss Belding when he came upstairs," said Alice, still
hiding her face.

"And what did you say to him--for saving this house and all our lives?"

The girl's overwrought nerves gave way. She had only breath enough to
say, "I said 'Good evening, Captain Farnham!' Wasn't it too perfectly
ridiculous?" and then burst into a flood of mingled laughter and tears,
which nothing could check, until she had cried herself quiet upon her
mother's bosom.

XV.

THE WHIP OF THE SCYTHIANS.

Farnham and Temple walked hastily back to where they had left Kendall
with the rest of the company. They found him standing like a statute
just where he had been placed by Farnham. The men were ranged in the
shadow of the shrubbery and the ivy-clad angle of the house. The moon
shone full on the open stretch of lawn, and outside the gates a black
mass on the sidewalk and the street showed that the mob had not left
the place. But it seemed sluggish and silent.

"Have they done anything new?" asked Farnham.

"Nothin', but fire a shot or two--went agin the wall overhead; and once
they heaved a lot of rocks, but it was too fur--didn't git more'n half
way. That's all."

"We don't want to stand here looking at each other all night," said
Farnham.

"Let's go out and tell them it's bed-time," suggested Temple.

"Agreed!" said Farnham. He turned to his men, and in a voice at first
so low that it could not have been heard ten feet away, yet so clear
that every syllable was caught by his soldiers, he gave the words of
command.

"Company, attention! Eight, forward. Fours right. Double time. March!"

The last words rang out clear and loud,