old out so
long as it did was greatly due to the courage and the counsels of
this brave gentleman."

As she spoke she pointed to Halfman, whose dark face flushed with
pleasure as he gave back the stares of the astonished Cavaliers who
up to now had left him unnoticed.

"Gentles," she went on, "this is Captain Halfman, who warned me of my
danger, who helped me in my peril with his soldier's knowledge and
his soldier's sword, and who was of my own mind rather to die than to
surrender Harby."

Halfman strode forward with a studied grace. He felt like
Faulconbridge; he felt like Harry at Agincourt; he felt like
Coriolanus; he felt exceedingly happy.

"Gallants," he said, with a magnificent salutation, "to have served
this lady makes a man know how it had seemed to serve Alexander or
Caesar. Wherefore, a soldier of good-fortune salutes you."

Rufus, who had watched him with something of a sullen eye from the
moment of Brilliana's introduction, now answered him with a clearer
countenance.

"We greet you, sir," he said, gravely, "with great gratitude and
great envy, for, indeed, there is none among us who would not have
given his life to be lieutenant to this lady." He accorded the
beaming Halfman a military salute, and then, turning to Brilliana,
continued:

"Bright Brilliana, your servants and swains yearned to ride to your
help when we heard of your peril, but we could not leave the King in
the beginning of his enterprise. He gave us glad leave after the
victory. 'Tell the brave lady,' he said, 'she shall be our viceroy in
Oxfordshire.'"

Brilliana's cheeks blazed with pleasure. "Oh, the dear man," she
cried, with clasped hands of rapture. But there was more to come.

"I think," continued Rufus, "it is more than likely that his Majesty
will visit Harby--I should say Loyalty House--ere he rides to
London."

Brilliana thrilled with pride--with pleasure. The air about her
seemed to swoon with music, to be sweet as roses, to be spangled with
golden motes.

X

PRISONER OF WAR

"I rejoice," she answered, in a voice unsteady with happiness--such
might have been the voice of Semele at the coming of her god--"I
rejoice that Loyalty House boasts a roof to shelter his Majesty. For
I was minded to blow the place to pieces rather than yield it to this
gentleman who would so speciously persuade me to surrender."

As she spoke she glanced disdainfully in the direction of Evander
Cloud, who now for the first t