of the maids, but now
he came back again, still followed by the whole of them. He was the
image of despair.

"Here's a pound to pay the forfeit," he cried to the maids, giving
them money. "And now for heaven's sake let me go. But--but how is
this--all so friendly," he gasped in amazement, observing Plunkett and
Lionel, Lady Harriet and Nancy.

"Who are you?" demanded Plunkett in a threatening manner.

"Oh, good-bye," Harriet cried now to the farmers, and she went to Sir
Tristram. They had had enough of it now, and decided to go home.

"Good-bye?" cried Plunkett. "Are you demented? Did ye not hire to us?
Good-bye?"

"Hush! O lord! That wasn't our intention. What if it should be heard
of at court?"

"Really we must go," she repeated, starting again to go to Tristram
while Plunkett held her back.

"I guess you go no place but home with us! You're hired, do you
understand? You took the shilling. You are hired to serve us for one
year. Now no more nonsense. Here, sheriff, tell these girls about
this."

"Why, if you have taken the earnest money, ye are bound to go," said
the sheriff. "So go along and make no more trouble, or I'll look after
ye." Now the women were in a pickle. If they persisted, of course they
would be set free when it was known they belonged to Queen Anne's
court; but they could never live down the disgrace of their prank.
Plainly there was nothing left for them but to abide by their
arrangement and go with Plunkett and Lionel. Everybody now set up an
indignant howl at their behaviour. Tristram could not help them. The
angry farmers pushed him aside, and Lady Harriet and Nancy were taken
by their arms by the two farmers, and walked back to where the wagon
waited.

"Now then! no more nonsense, girls! Ye are hired to us and ye will
go," Plunkett declared, lifting the women into the wagon, while Lionel
got up beside them, and then amid the shouts of the crowd and the
laughter of the other girls, and the noise of the hurdy-gurdies and
the dancing and the calls of the people, Lady Harriet, Nancy, and
Lionel were driven off to the farm by Plunkett.

ACT II

"Now, damsels, get to bed," Plunkett said to Martha and Nancy as he
opened the door of the farmhouse upon their arrival. "Get to bed,
because ye must get up at dawn." The two giddy young women looked
about them. There were doors at the right and left of the big room
which they first entered, and they doubtless led to bedrooms. On the
table a