d choked with rage and
grief; and then the bivouac buzzed alive, and men came running, some
with arms and some with torches, these last to flash the light upon her
and to jeer and laugh. At length--it seemed an age to me--an officer
appeared to flog the rabble into order; then she was taken from her
horse and led into the house.

Anon the windows of the great fore-room flung bands of yellow torchlight
out upon the lawn, and I knew that Tarleton's court was set again. At
that the pains of hell gat hold upon me and I did pray as I had never
prayed before that God would grant me this one boon--to stand beside her
in this time of trial; to give me tongue of eloquence to tell them all
that she was innocent; to give me breath to swear she knew not why she
went, or what the message was she carried.

Yours is a skeptic age, my dears, and you have learned to scoff at
things you do not understand. But, so long as I shall live, I must
believe that agonizing plea was answered. While yet the anguish of it
wrung my soul there came a hasty trampling in the corridor, the
sentry's challenge, and then a quick unbarring of the door. I turned
upon my heel to face a young ensign come with two men at his back to
take me to the colonel.

They bound me well and strongly with many wrappings of stout cord before
they led me down. Nor must you think me broken-spirited because I let
them. In any other cause but this I hope I should have fought to die
unmanacled; but now I suffered gladly this little, seeing I had made my
dear lady suffer so greatly.

When we were come into the room below they let me stand beside her, as I
had prayed God they might; and when I stole a glance at her I was fain
to think my coming gave her courage and support. For you must know the
place was fair alive with men, and flaring light with torches; and they
had never offered her a chair.

The colonel stood apart, the center of a group of officers, and
Falconnet was with him. Hovering on the edges of the group, as if afraid
to show themselves too boldly in such a coil, were Gilbert Stair and
that smooth parchment-visaged knave, his factor. The while they thrust
me forth to take my place at Margery's side, the good old priest came
and would have joined us; but they would not suffer him.

[Illustration]

So we two stood alone together as we had stood before; but now my lady's
eyes were downcast, and her lips and cheeks were pale. Yet she was more
beautiful than I had