his singing," or "To the
fair moon, handmaiden to the glorious sun," or in such wise. On a chair
was another paper half written, and beside it a pen: "Humphrey," it
said, in Jeannette's loved hand--"Humphrey, come over and help--" Here
the pen had hastily ceased its work.

This mute appeal, lying thus to greet me, roused the whole man in every
pulse of my body. I seized the dear paper in my hands and kissed it,
and then, placing both it and the maiden's scarf in my bosom, I dashed
from the room with drawn sword and called my men to horse.

"To horse!" I cried, "and ride as you never rode before, men; for I vow
to heaven I will not quit this saddle till I find the foul dog who has
robbed me of my dearest jewel."

They obeyed quickly and cheerily, for the horror of that night had given
them enough and to spare of Castleroe.

A mile through the forest road was a woodman's hut whose master looked
out curiously to see us pass. It seemed to me worth while, being the
first man we had met, to question him. So I ordered a halt.

"You are an O'Neill?" said I.

"Who told you so?" growled he in Irish; and I guessed from the look of
him that he was the man I wanted.

I signalled to two of my men to dismount and seize him.

"Now," said I, fumbling my pistol, "time presses. Tell me which way the
O'Neill has gone."

"How do I know?" said he.

I cocked my pistol and laid it across my saddle.

"He went to Dublin, a month since," said the fellow, quickly.

"And the English Captain?"

He growled a curse, and said:

"He passed here last night for Tyrone's country."

"And the Lady Rose O'Neill and her maid. Who carried them off, and
when?"

He paused and looked doggedly at me.

I raised my pistol and laid it at his head.

"Two days since they rode hence under escort of three of the Captain's
men."

"And whither went they?"

"The Captain knows. Follow him and you shall find them."

"Look you here," said I, "if what you say be true, you shall have your
life. If not--"

"I'm no liar," said he, "and I curse the English."

"Then," said I, "help me and my men to save your chief's daughter, and
slay yonder Captain."

He pricked up his ears at that.

"'Tis too late, I doubt," said he. "The villain works quickly. 'Twere
better to find the maids dead. It took him not many hours to rob this
house of all its light."

"'Tis not too late so long as a breath is in this body," said I. "Come,
take us to him, a