army to London,
finding means, however, to send a message home about their safety.

Aunt Deborah, with the calmness of a strong nature, after assembling the
family to return thanks for the good news, went quietly on with her
usual duties, expecting every one else to do the same; but to Millicent
this seemed impossible. How could she be expected to sit and stitch
wristbands, when, only six miles away, the sun, shining so quietly in at
the window, was looking down on the battlefield? 'Oh, if I had only been
a man,' she cried, 'to ride forth instead of being left here!'

Hardly had the words crossed her lips before one of the panels in a
dark corner of the room flew back, revealing to her startled eyes a tall
youth, whose long curls and the dainty lace ruffles on his torn and
stained shirt proved him to be one of those young Cavaliers whom
Millicent had often wished to know, but who to Aunt Deborah represented
all that was lawless and wicked. She started to her feet in terror. At
that moment the presence of her aunt, or even of one of the babies, as
she called her nine-year-old twin sisters, would have been a comfort;
but the stranger's voice reassured her.

'Am I speaking to Mistress Millicent Basset?' he asked with a low bow,
which brought the colour to Millicent's face, for few people spoke to
her as if she were grown up.

'Yes, I am Millicent Basset, at your service,' she answered. Then,
plucking up her courage, she added, 'How did you come here, and what
right have you to take the panel out of the wall?'

A smile passed across the young soldier's face. 'Bravely asked,' he
said, 'and easily answered had I time; but I must show you something
first. Do you recognise that?' and, stepping forward, he laid something
on the table beside her.

At that moment hurrying feet and shrill voices were heard in the
passage. It was the twins. Happily in their eagerness they paused for a
moment, disputing which should open the door. Then a strange thing
happened. Millicent had turned from the stranger for a moment as the
children fumbled at the lock; and when she turned her head again he had
vanished, and the panelled wall looked exactly as it had always done.
All that remained to prove that she had not been dreaming was the little
packet he had placed on the table.

Millicent quickly placed her sewing on the packet and swept it into her
lap before she listened to what the excited little girls had to say.

'See, sister,' cried