the
villages of Fleurs and Ligny.

Accordingly at ten o'clock in the evening orders were issued by
Wellington for the third division to march at once from
Braine-le-Comte to Nivelles, for the first to move from Enghien to
Braine-le-Comte, and for the second and fourth divisions to march from
Ath and Grammont on Enghien. No fresh orders were issued to the troops
round Brussels; and although it was known at the ball that the troops
were in readiness to march at a moment's notice, there were none
except the generals and a few members of the staff who had an idea
that the moment was so near at hand. The regiments stationed at a
distance from Brussels were assembled in the park by ten o'clock in
the evening; then arms were piled, and the men permitted to fall out.

Only a few lighted fires, for the night was warm. The artillery,
however, who had all along been bivouacked in the park, had their
fires going as usual, and round these many of the troops gathered, but
the greater part wrapped themselves in their cloaks and went quietly
to sleep. Ralph strolled about for an hour or two, chatting with other
officers and looking at the groups of sleepers, and listening to the
talk of the soldiers gathered round the fires. Among them were many
old Peninsular men, whose experience now rendered them authorities
among the younger soldiers, who listened eagerly to the details of the
desperate struggle at Albuera, the terrible storming of the
fortresses, and lighter tales of life and adventure in Spain. Many of
the men whose quarters lay near the scene of assembly had been
permitted to return to them, with strict orders to be ready to join
the ranks should the bugle sound.

CHAPTER XVI.

FOUND AT LAST.

As soon as Mrs. Conway received the box she set to work in earnest.
Directly the house was still and a sufficient time had elapsed for the
Miss Penfolds to have fallen asleep, she rose from the bed on which
she had lain down without undressing, put on the coat and hat, and
made her way noiselessly down to the library. As she kept the lock
well oiled she entered noiselessly, and then locking the door behind
her lighted a candle and commenced her search. On the fifth night she
was rewarded by finding that the center of what looked like a solidly
carved flower in the ornamentation of the mantelpiece gave way under
the pressure of her finger, and at the same moment she heard a slight
click. Beyond this nothing was apparent; and