King's Bridge but was a longer way there. But
they hadn't gone far when she again saw a rider, this time ahead of
them. The man looked as if he couldn't sit straight in his saddle. He
seemed to sway.

"Then Lady Betty recognized the horse. It was Monarch, Lord Cecil's
own mount. 'Hurry Sam!' she cried fearfully, 'It's Monarch!'"

"And was it Lord Cecil?"

"Yes, he had been wounded but had escaped from his enemies. And it is
a good thing he did, for he was carrying a message to his own army.
But when he saw Lady Betty, he almost fell from his horse, and would
have, if she had not supported him."

"Oh the poor man!" murmured Kit.

"But just in a minute Lord Cecil recovered himself. 'I've got to get
through,' he whispered. 'They are depending on me!' But he had lost
so much blood from the wound in his leg that he was too weak. And then
a wonderful thing happened. Lady Betty supported him until they came
to an old hut where Martha Sikes lived. She was an aged servant of the
Manor and was pensioned by Lord Cecil.

"And here Lady Betty, after assuring herself that the wound was not
dangerous, left her husband in the care of Sam and the old woman and
rode away with the message. Lord Cecil was too weak and tired to
object."

"My! That was a brave thing to do! I don't believe I would have had
the courage to do it."

"Not many of us would, but Lady Betty Merriweather never hesitated.
She started out all alone, when every shadow of the night terrified
her. And she rode furiously with no thought of the accidents that
might occur on the rough road. She kept right on and delivered the
message into the hands of the General in charge. And the paper she
carried was a warning that the enemy would attack that night."

"Think of it!" mused Kit. "Wasn't that wonderful. She saved the army,
I'm sure."

"Yes. The General wanted to send an escort back with her but Lady
Betty refused, saying that he would need all his men for the battle
that would be sure to come.

"Once on her return trip she saw riders coming and quickly drew her
pony to the side of the road and hid behind a clump of bushes. And
although her horse was fiery and never stood quietly before, now it was
perfectly still. Wasn't that wonderful!"

"I think," said Kit with a slight quiver in her voice, "that horses
know everything that is going on."

"That one must have, for it stood motionless. And Lady Betty scarcely
breathed. She heard th