sham scowled at him, smiling darkly. "I shall talk wit' you soon,
sare," said he, his words a threat.

"But, my lord..." began Richard. "I can make it very plain I am no
traitor..."

"In t'e mornin'," said Feversham blandly, waving his hand, and the
sergeant took Richard by the shoulder.

But Richard twisted from his grasp. "In the morning will be too late,"
he cried. "I have it in my power to render you such a service as you
little dream of."

"Take 'im away," said Feversham wearily.

"I can save you from destruction," bawled Richard, "you and your army."

Perhaps even now Feversham had not heeded him but for Wilding's sudden
interference.

"Silence, Richard!" he cried to him. "Would you betray...?" He checked
on the word; more he dared not say; but he hoped faintly that he had
said enough.

Feversham, however, chanced to observe that this man who had shown
himself hitherto so calm looked suddenly most singularly perturbed.

"Eh?" quoth the General. "An instan', Sergean'. What is t'is, eh?"--and
he looked from Wilding to Richard.

"Your lordship shall learn at a price," cried Richard.

"Me, I not bargain wit' traitors," said his lordship stiffly.

"Very well, then," answered Richard, and he folded his arms
dramatically. "But no matter what your lordship's life may be hereafter,
you will never regret anything more bitterly than you shall regret this
by sunrise if indeed you live to see it."

Feversham shifted uneasily on his feet. "'What you say?" he asked. "What
you mean?"

"You shall know at a price," said Richard again.

Wilding, realizing the hopelessness of interfering now, stood gloomily
apart, a great bitterness in his soul at the indiscretion he had
committed in telling Richard of the night attack that was afoot.

"Your lordship shall hear my price, but you need not pay it me until you
have had an opportunity of verifying the information I have to give you.

"Tell me," said Feversham after a brief pause, during which he
scrutinized the young man's face.

"If your lordship will promise liberty and safe-conduct to my sister and
myself."

"Tell me," Feversham repeated.

"When you have promised to grant me what I ask in return for my
information."

"Yes, if I t'ink your information is wort'"

"I am content," said Richard. He inclined his head and loosed the
quarrel of his news. "Your camp is slumbering, your officers are all
abed with the exception of the outpost on the road to Bridgwate