sulting a lady."

"Lady, forsooth! the parson's niece."

In a few seconds--very long seconds to her--her flying feet had
brought her back to the cottage, where she burst in with--"Pardon,
pardon, sir; come quick; there are swords drawn; there will be
bloodshed if you do not come."

He obeyed the summons without further query, for when all men wore
swords the neighbourhood of a garrison were only too liable to such
encounters outside. There was no need for her to gasp out more;
from the very cottage door he could see the need of haste, for the
swords were actually flashing, and the two young men in position to
fight. Anne shook her head, unable to do more than sign her thanks
to the good woman of the cottage, who offered her a seat. She leant
against the door, and watched as her uncle, sending his voice before
him, called on them to desist.

There was a start, then each drew back and held down his weapon, but
with a menacing gesture on one side, a shrug of the shoulders on the
other, which impelled the Doctor to use double speed in the fear
that the parting might be with a challenge reserved.

He was in time to stand warning, and arguing that if he pardoned the
slighting words and condoned the insult to his niece, no one had a
right to exact vengeance; and in truth, whatever were his arguments,
he so dealt with the two young men as to force them into shaking
hands before they separated, though with a contemptuous look on
either side--a scowl from Sedley, a sneer from Peregrine, boding ill
for the future, and making him sigh.

"Ah! sister, sister, you judged aright. Would that I could have
sent the maid sooner away rather than that all this ill blood should
have been bred. Yet I may only be sending her to greater temptation
and danger. But she is a good maiden; God bless her and keep her
here and there, now and for evermore, as I trust He keepeth our good
Dr. Ken in this sore strait. The trial may even now be over. Ah,
my child, here you are! Frightened were you by that rude fellow?
Nay, I believe you were almost equally terrified by him who came to
the rescue. You will soon be out of their reach, my dear."

"Yes, that is one great comfort in going," sighed Anne. One
comfort--yes--though she would not have stayed had the choice been
given her now. And shall the thought be told that flashed over her
and coloured her cheeks with a sort of shame yet of pleasure, "I
surely must have power over men! I kno