aughing. "Well, Mistress Patience, you have shown great
condescension to a poor forester, and I return you many thanks for your
kindness towards me: I will now take my leave."

"And when will you come and see my father?"

"I cannot say; I fear that I shall not be able very soon to look in his
injured face, and it will not be well for a poacher to come near him,"
replied Edward: "however, some day I may be taken and brought before you
as a prisoner, you know, and then he is certain to see me."

"I will not tell you to kill deer," replied Patience; "but if you do
kill them, no one shall harm you--or I know little of my power or my
father's. Farewell then, sir; and once more, gratitude and thanks."

Patience held out her hand again to Edward, who this time, like a true
cavalier, raised it respectfully to his lips. Patience coloured a
little, but did not attempt to withdraw it, and Edward, with a low
obeisance, quitted the room.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

As soon as he was out of the Intendant's house, Edward hastened to the
cottage of Oswald Partridge, whom he found waiting for him; for the
verderer had not failed to deliver his message.

"You have had a long talk with Mistress Patience," said Oswald, after
the first greeting; "and I am glad of it, as it gives you consequence
here. The Roundhead rascal whom you met was inclined to be very precise
about doing his duty, and insisted that he was certain that you were on
the look-out for deer; but I stopped his mouth by telling him that I
often took you out with me, as you were the best shot in the whole
forest, and that the Intendant knew that I did so. I think that if you
were caught in the act of killing a deer you had better tell them that
you killed it by my request, and I will bear you out, if they bring you
to the Intendant, who will, I'm sure, thank me for saying so. You might
kill all the deer in the forest after what you have done for him."

"Many thanks; but I do not think I can take advantage of your offer.
Let them catch me if they can, and if they do catch me, let them take me
if they can."

"I see, sir, that you will accept no favour from the Roundheads,"
replied Oswald; "however, as I am now head keeper, I shall take care
that my men do not interfere with you, if I can help it; all I wish is
to prevent any insult or indignity being offered to you: they not being
aware who you are, as I am."

"Many thanks, Oswald; I must take my chance."

Edward