She endeavoured to exhibit no special favour to
one more than the other, though this was difficult. As she came up to
Stephen a second time, she whispered, "Be on the watch; tell your
brother." She then passed on hurriedly. After some time Tobias Platt
arrived with more provisions, a portion of which he distributed among
the soldiers, thus putting them in good humour, and making them more
inclined than they might otherwise have been to treat their prisoners
kindly. As it was getting late, the Colonel advised that they should
proceed, and they continued their march to the manor-house. Alice again
galloped forward to assist Madam Pauline in getting ready for their
reception. She did not hesitate to confide to her aunt her intention of
trying to enable Stephen and his brother to escape.

"But you do not consider the risk, my dear Alice," said Madame Pauline.
"Should these young men escape, the Colonel would be implicated, might
suffer all sorts of fines and penalties, that he can ill afford, though
I know he would gladly spend any sum to buy them off, if that were
possible, and help poor Mr Battiscombe. However, we will see what can
be done. What a pity that Mr Willoughby should have gone off on his
useless errand! We must let Mr Battiscombe know that his sons have
been captured, in order that he may take such steps as he deems
necessary."

"I will go," said Alice; "my pony is perfectly fresh, and I shall
quickly gallop to Langton Hall and back." Madam Pauline hesitated, but
Alice soon over-persuaded her to let her go.

On arriving at home the Colonel was somewhat inclined to find fault with
Madam Pauline for allowing Alice to set off by herself, though he
acknowledged it was important that Mr Battiscombe should be made aware
that his sons had been captured, that he might take such steps as he
might deem necessary to preserve their lives. He did not conceal from
himself the fearful predicament in which they were placed: hundreds, he
heard, had been slaughtered, and the vindictive King was not yet
satisfied. That King little thought that his cruelties were preparing
the way for his own dethronement.

There were numerous rooms in the lower story of the manor-house, and the
Colonel proposed that one should be got ready for the young
Battiscombes, and another for the remainder of the prisoners, who were
of an inferior rank. There was no end of truckle-beds in the house,
which he ordered to be got ready. He pr