Thus,
speaking, she sped across the room and, kneeling before the great
fireplace, seemed to feel along the carved foliage of the mantel with
frenzied fingers, then uttered a gasp of satisfaction: "Quick--quick my
lord!" she panted. And even as she spoke the great hearthstone sank
down endwise turning upon itself and disclosing a narrow flight of
steps. The earl uttered a sound between a laugh and a sob, turned
aside to take up hat and sword and, descending into the gloomy depths,
glanced up blithe of eye and waved his hand as the stone swung back
into place above him.

Then Mrs. Agatha rose, dusted her silken gown with her pretty white
hands and curtseyed:

"Your honour," said she, "with your leave, I'll run out to my poor,
silly, frighted maids!" and taking up bowl and sponges while the
Sergeant opened the door, she rustled away. With the door still in his
hand, Sergeant Zebedee turned to stare at the Major and found the Major
staring at him.

"Sir," said he at last, "sir, she's--a----" here he paused to shake
solemn head, "sir, she's the--sir--she--is--a--woman!"

"Zeb," answered the Major, sinking into a chair,
"she--most--undoubtedly--is!"

But now the house was full of strange stir and hubbub, the tread and
tramp of heavy feet, the clatter of accoutrements, and the ring of
iron-shod muskets on stone-flagged hall.

"Sir," questioned the Sergeant, putting on his wig and re-settling his
rumpled garments, "shall I go out to 'em?"

"Do so, Zeb, and bring the officer to me--here, in the library."

The officer in question, a tall and languid exquisite, found the Major
at his desk, who, setting aside his papers, rose to give him courteous
greeting.

"Ged, sir," he exclaimed returning the Major's stately bow, "you'll
f'give this dem'd intrusion I trust--I'm Prothero, Captain o' Cleeve's,
your very dutiful humble. You are Major d'Arcy, I think?"

"The same, sir, and yours to command."

"Let me perish, sir, 'tis an honour to meet you I vow and protest.
Colonel Cleeve hath spoke of you--I've heard of you in Flanders also.
All o' which doth but make an unpleasant duty--dem'd unpleasant.
Regarding the which I may tell you that my lord Colonel is so put out
over the business that he hath absented himself until our search here
shall be over. But this Jacobite f'low is known to be i' these parts
and my orders are to search every house----"

"And orders are to be obeyed!" smiled the Major. "Let your men searc