is arms fell from her and slowly, sullenly, he recoiled, watching her
beneath drooping lids.

"Ah, Betty!" he sighed, "what an adorable woman you are!"

"Why then sir," said she a little tremulously but with hand and eyes
steady, "you will obey me."

"'Twill be my joy, sweet Bet," he answered softly, "aye faith, my
joy--when I have conquered thee----"

"Conquered?" she cried and gnashed white teeth. "No man shall do
that--you least of----"

A hoarse command from the road in front, followed almost immediately by
two pistol shots in rapid succession, and, lurching towards the hedge,
the coach came to an abrupt standstill, ensued the stamp of horses,
cries, fierce imprecations, the sounds of desperate struggling and a
heavy fall. In an instant Mr. Dalroyd had snatched his other pistol,
had jerked down the window and thrust out head and arms.

"What now?" he cried. "What the devil----" The words ended in a
choking gasp, for the pistol was twisted from his hold and a strong
hand was upon his throat; then the door was wrenched open and himself
dragged into the road there to be caught and crushed in arms of steel
while his hands were drawn swiftly behind him and dexterously trussed
together, all in a moment.

"You!" he cried, staring into the pale, serene face of his captor and
struggling against his bonds. "God, but you shall repent this outrage,
I swear you----"

"The gag, Sergeant!"

"Here, sir!" And Mr. Dalroyd's vicious threats were choked to sudden
silence.

"His ankles, Sergeant!"

"All secure, your honour!"

"Then mount and take him before you---so! Up with him--heave!"

Next moment Mr. Dalroyd lay bound, gagged and helpless across the
withers of the Sergeant's horse.

"What's come of the coachman, Zebedee?"

"I' the ditch, sir."

"Hurt?"

"Lord love ye, just a rap o' the nob, sir."

It was now that my lady, crouched in the darkest corner of the chaise,
fancied she heard shouts above the raving of the wind and, grasping the
pistol in trembling fingers, ventured to look out. And thus she saw a
face, pallid in the flickering light of the solitary lantern, a face
streaked with mud and sweat, fierce-eyed and grim of mouth. She caught
but a momentary glimpse as he swung to horse but, reading aright the
determined purpose of that haggard face, she cried aloud and sprang out
into the road, calling on his name.

"John--O John!" But her voice was lost in the rushing wind, and the
Major, spur