more agreeable to us both," said L'Isle,
laughing and blushing. "But unluckily I have in my pocket Sir
Rowland's order to meet him there, and have intelligence he is waiting
for. I am afraid he will have to wait."

"I am afraid, he will," said Lady Mabel, coolly, "for I do not see how
you are to get out of the house now. By this time Moodie has bolted,
barred, and locked every door and window below, hidden the keys, and
gone to bed in his usual condition. He never can find them again,
until his head gets clear in the morning."

"What!" exclaimed L'Isle, "that respectable old man drunk every
night!"

"Not _every_ night!" said Lady Mabel. "But have you forgotten in what
condition he came back with us from Evora?"

"True. But I thought that an accident, and more the effect of sickness
than drinking. He seemed quite sober when you came home, and a graver
and more sedate man I do not know."

"O, he is a Presbyterian, you know, and the more liquor he swallows
the graver and more sanctimonious he becomes."

"That may be. Still Lady Mabel, I must find some way of getting out of
the house. Already I shall be too late at Alcantara."

"I am afraid Sir Rowland will not drink in your news at breakfast. But
if it be good, it will come in capitally after dinner, by way of
dessert."

"After dinner!" said L'Isle hurriedly. "I must be there many hours
before that!"

"Then I am sorry to have kept you here so long. I suppose Jenny and I
must keep watch by ourselves all night, for I cannot keep those
heavy-headed fellows awake."

"Awake and watching!" exclaimed L'Isle.

"Yes--awake and watching," Lady Mabel answered. "If you could stay we
would not insist on your sitting up with us. I could have Papa's room
made ready for you; and if I knew that you were asleep in Papa's bed,
with your drawn sword on one side, and a pair of his pistols, cocked,
on the other, I would not be in the least afraid."

"Afraid of what?" asked L'Isle in astonishment.

"Of these robbers, who go plundering and murdering all over the
country by night!" said Lady Mabel, her large blue eyes opening wide
in well-feigned terror.

"Oh, don't talk of them, my lady!" said Jenny, with a stifled scream,
and an affected shudder.

"Have you not heard of them?" Lady Mabel asked in a tone of surprise.

"I cannot say I have--at least of any depredations here at Elvas."

"But we are outside of Elvas--to our sorrow; and the monks, great
engineers as they have