All who respect Dame Royland join in advising her to cease
the show of resistance she is making, and to settle down quietly, ready
to accept the fresh position, for resistance must mean destruction.
Pause before it is too late.--From an old friend."

"Well," said Lady Royland, as her son read the letter through twice,
"what do you think of that, Roy?"

"That the man who wrote it must be a coward."

"It explains why we have not had more offers of help, my boy. I have
felt for days past that there must be something very wrong. We are, it
seems, becoming isolated in an enemy's country, and so as to secure our
safety, I am advised to lay down my arms, and turn over my allegiance to
the new government, whatever it may be. That is what the letter
advises."

"Yes, but who wrote it?" cried Roy.

"It is evidently written by one person acting for others, and explains
why my letters to gentlemen who I should have thought would have been
ready to help me have remained unanswered."

"Then we are to have no more help?"

"None, save that which we have secured from the village, and of course
from the tenants on our estate. What do you think, Roy? If I resist,
we shall, from our weakness, in all probability be beaten, and the new
government will confiscate your father's property here; while, if we
settle down to an ignoble peace--"

"They'll perhaps seize upon the estate all the same."

"Then you would resist, my boy?" said Lady Royland, watching her son's
face closely.

"Resist, mother?" he cried, indignantly; "why, of course. After what
father said, it is our duty to shut ourselves up here, hoist the king's
flag, and show the cowards who sent that letter that we're going to
fight as long as there's a tower left in the old place."

"Then you would advise me to go against everything that is said in that
letter?"

"Pah!" cried the boy, with a look of disgust. "I wonder you can ask me
such a question, mother."

Roy had risen from the table, and with his face scarlet was walking up
and down the room.

"I asked you because I wanted to see what your real feelings were, my
boy," said Lady Royland, going to him to lay her hands on his shoulder
and look proudly in his face. "Roy, my boy, if I followed the advice of
that contemptible time-serving letter, I should feel that I was proving
false to the brave men who have gathered round us at my call, to my
husband, and my king; lastly, my boy, to you. Give up? You know