mentarian in her principles, though the only arguments which had
addressed themselves to her were those of family ties.

Her husband, General Lord Baxby, had been expected to return all the day
from his excursion into the east of the county, a message having been
sent to him informing him of what had happened at home; and in the
evening he arrived with reinforcements in unexpected numbers. Her
brother retreated before these to a hill near Ivell, four or five miles
off, to afford the men and himself some repose. Lord Baxby duly placed
his forces, and there was no longer any immediate danger. By this time
Lady Baxby's feelings were more Parliamentarian than ever, and in her
fancy the fagged countenance of her brother, beaten back by her husband,
seemed to reproach her for heartlessness. When her husband entered her
apartment, ruddy and boisterous, and full of hope, she received him but
sadly; and upon his casually uttering some slighting words about her
brother's withdrawal, which seemed to convey an imputation upon his
courage, she resented them, and retorted that he, Lord Baxby himself, had
been against the Court-party at first, where it would be much more to his
credit if he were at present, and showing her brother's consistency of
opinion, instead of supporting the lying policy of the King (as she
called it) for the sake of a barren principle of loyalty, which was but
an empty expression when a King was not at one with his people. The
dissension grew bitter between them, reaching to little less than a hot
quarrel, both being quick-tempered souls.

Lord Baxby was weary with his long day's march and other excitements, and
soon retired to bed. His lady followed some time after. Her husband
slept profoundly, but not so she; she sat brooding by the window-slit,
and lifting the curtain looked forth upon the hills without.

In the silence between the footfalls of the sentinels she could hear
faint sounds of her brother's camp on the distant hills, where the
soldiery had hardly settled as yet into their bivouac since their
evening's retreat. The first frosts of autumn had touched the grass, and
shrivelled the more delicate leaves of the creepers; and she thought of
William sleeping on the chilly ground, under the strain of these
hardships. Tears flooded her eyes as she returned to her husband's
imputations upon his courage, as if there could be any doubt of Lord
William's courage after what he had done in the past d