st,
not very ill--not likely to die yet," she added, hastily.

"If I waited till the Lord called me by disease I'd may be wait a good
while yet, for I'm strong when I'm well; but the people hereabout say I
am a witch, and but for Master Harry I should have been tried before
last night."

"Last night!" uttered Maud. "What did they do to you?" for she had lost
all fear of her as a witch now.

The poor old creature looked round fearfully. "They did it," she said,
"tried me for a witch. They took me to the horse-pond and ducked me, but
there was not enough water to drown me. They'd have done it before if
Master Harry had not been my protector, but now he is gone nothing will
save me, for they say I've sent him away; as if I should want to lose my
best friend," and the old woman burst into tears again.

Maud was indignant. "Prithee, do not be afraid," she said. "I will
protect you, they shall not hurt you!"

For a minute the old woman looked up glad and grateful, but then she
shook her head sadly. "You can't do it, they are coming again to-night,"
she said, "and the ill-usage will kill me;" and she pushed up the sleeve
of her gown and showed how her arms were cut and bruised.

"You must be protected," said Maud, "it will be murder. I will go to
Master Drury at once and tell him about it," and without waiting another
minute, Maud mounted Cavalier and cantered up the lane.

At the top, clustered round the blacksmith's shed, were a group of
soldiers, who made way for her to pass, but the blacksmith sprang
forward and stopped her horse.

"These soldiers have seen Master Harry Drury Mistress Harcourt," he
said.

"Then you will not repeat the cowardly attack on Dame Coppins, I trow!"
said the young lady, burning with anger still.

The blacksmith drew back somewhat ashamed, and Maud, forgetting all
else, turned to the soldiers and said, "Tell me where you met Master
Harry Drury."

The man doffed his cap respectfully, for he could see Maud was a lady.
"It was near by the gate of London," he said. "Our leader, Captain
Stanhope, has now gone to the Grange, bearing tidings of it."

Maud urged Cavalier into a sharp canter when she left the soldiers, for
she wished to be in time to hear the Captain's account of his meeting
with Harry, which she was likely to lose for ever if not in time to hear
it given to Master Drury. Captain Stanhope and his troopers had been to
Hayslope before, and the Captain knowing the importance of