ants, well
armed."

"Certainly," said Lady Mabel; "we will do the thing effectually. They
shall carry no baggage, but stuff their valises full of loaded
pistols, as antidotes to Mrs. Shortridge's fears."

"I will join the party with pleasure, my lord. I suppose I can be
spared from this post for a few days?" said L'Isle, well pleased to be
urged to join in an excursion, secretly and ingeniously contrived by
himself.

The ladies, delighted at the prospect of a pleasant journey and new
scenes, were at once full of plans and preparations for their outfit
on the road. Nor did they reckon without their host; for the
commissary assented to their joining him the moment it was proposed.
Colonel Bradshawe might amuse himself and his cronies by expressing
astonishment at his blindness or complaisance, but Shortridge had good
reasons for what he did. Since he had made money, both his wife and
himself felt a strong craving for social promotion; and Colonel L'Isle
and Lady Mabel were just the persons to lend them a helping hand in
their efforts to ascend the social ladder. But with Shortridge this
was just now but a secondary matter. The commander-in-chief had been
lately giving a rough overhauling to the officials of the
commissariat. Their numberless peculations, and short-comings at
critical moments, had exasperated him into a conviction that they were
necessary evils, and rascals to a man by right of office, and only to
be dealt with as such. And Sir Rowland Hill, to whose division the
brigade belonged, had learned this, among other lessons, from his
great commander. Now L'Isle was known to have the ear of Sir Rowland,
and the commissary was of opinion that, while Lord Strathern commanded
the brigade, Lady Mabel commanded him, so that the good opinion and
good word of those parties might avail him much on certain
emergencies. If a friend at court be a good thing, two are still
better; so he was all compliance, and let the ladies fix the next day
but one for the journey.

Early on that morning, accordingly, the party assembled at
headquarters, and their horses and mules crowded the little court of
the monastic building. L'Isle had provided an _arriero_ for a guide,
with his three mules for their baggage. The kind, and quantity, too,
of provision he had prepared for their journey, was a reflection on
the resources and hospitality of the country they were to pass
through. Nor had the commissary been negligent of creature comf