ile news had arrived that Prince Rupert had been compelled to
surrender Bristol and several other places in the west, and that another
battle disastrous to Charles had been fought at Rowton Moor. The King
had been completely defeated, and compelled to retire to Oxford for the
winter, and Captain Stanhope and his wife were coming to Hayslope. This
was the news brought by one or two of the men who came back to the
village to tell of the death or imprisonment of others who had gone
forth with them that sweet spring day a few months before. So the winter
came in gloomy enough, and men grew fiercer each day about the strife
that was raging in the land. In Hayslope all the rage was against the
London Parliament, and many vowed that if one of Cromwell's troopers
showed himself there he should be killed, whoever he might be. This
threat did not disturb Maud much, even if she heard it, for she did not
think it was likely any of the Parliament men would come there, and she
could only feel glad that the messenger had gone away before the arrival
of these half-frenzied men. She still visited occasionally among the
villagers, and contributed to their wants as far as she could; but a
good deal of her time was occupied with Master Drury now, and Dame
Coppins was almost forgotten, apparently.

She was therefore greatly surprised one day to receive a message from a
village lad, saying she was wanted down the lane. She had no doubt who
wanted her, but she did not intend going; she would not give Dame
Coppins the opportunity of bewitching her any more; and so merely
saying, "Prithee, I will think about it," she walked home as fast as she
could.

That evening, about six o'clock, just as they were about to assemble for
supper, one of the maids came to her and whispered that she was wanted;
a man, who refused to say who he was or where he came from, demanded to
see her.

Maud shivered: such mysterious messages were disagreeable, and she was
just about to say she would not go, when Mistress Mabel appearing in the
passage settled the matter; for had she heard her refuse, there would
have been an instant inquiry, and the lady would not have rested until
she found out all about the supposed witch and Maud's charities in the
village.

So to prevent this she threw a cloak over her head, and followed the
maid, without speaking, to where a muffled figure stood outside the
door. She had only stepped off the threshold, when a gust of wind blew
th