ttle window, and said to a soldier
who had taken up his position close beside it--"I would speak with your
Captain."

The Captain appeared in a moment.

"For what reason are you here?" asked the young lady.

"Madam, I hold a warrant to take the bodies of Thomas Lane, and John
Lane his son, and I trust that none in this house shall impede me in the
execution of my duty."

"My brother!--and my father!" exclaimed Mrs Jane, under her breath.

"Sir, we shall not do that. But will you suffer me to say to you that
my father is an old and infirm man, in weakly health, and I beg of you
that you will be as merciful to his condition as your duty will allow."

The Roundhead captain bowed.

"Be assured, madam," he said respectfully, "that Mr Lane shall fare
better for the beseechment of so good a daughter, and that I will do
mine utmost to have him gently handled."

"I thank you, sir," replied Mrs Jane, as she closed the window.

Then, Jenny still following, a little less frightened, since the enemy
seemed after all to be a man, and not a very bad man either.

Mrs Jane went upstairs and tapped at her brother's door.

"Who's there?" demanded the Colonel's voice very sleepily.

"The reward of your deeds," answered his sister, drily. "Make haste and
busk thee, Jack; thou art wanted to go to prison."

"Very good!" responded the Colonel, to Jenny's astonishment. "Do you
bear me company?"

"Nay; would I did, rather than our father."

"Our father! Is _he_--?"

"Ay. God have mercy on us!" said Mrs Jane gravely.

"Amen!" came through the closed door.

"Jenny, go back to my chamber," said her mistress. "I will come to thee
anon. The hardest of my work lieth afore me yet."

For two hours all was haste and tumult in Bentley Hall. Then, when the
soldiers had departed, carrying their prisoners with them, a hush almost
like that of death fell upon the house.

Mrs Lane had wept till she had no more tears to shed; her daughter did
not weep, but she looked very white and sad.

"Now you mark my words!" said Millicent to Jenny; "'tis that Jackson has
done it. He's played the traitor. Didn't I always say he was a
Roundhead! Depend upon it, he's betrayed something the Colonel's done
in His Majesty's service, and that's why that wicked Parliament's down
on him. Robin, he says the same. He never did like that scheming black
creature, and no more did I."

"Well, I don't know! He seemed a decent sort o' man, far as I