o Neal.

"How came you here with my daughter and the Comtesse de Tourneville?"

Neal stood silent.

"It was my fault," said the Comtesse. "I brought Una. I wanted to see
what was going on. Mr. Neal had nothing to do with it. He tried to save
us when, when that man"--she pointed to the soldier on the
floor--"found us."

"Is that so?" asked Lord Dunseveric of Neal.

"It is."

"Maurice," said Lord Dunseveric, "take your sister and your aunt home,
and when you get them there see that they do not leave the house again.
Stay. Take Neal with you. Those ruffians outside will scarcely venture
to molest you, but, in case any of them are drunk enough to try, you
will be the better of having Neal beside you. Captain Twinely, you
will kindly give orders to your men that my son and his party are to be
allowed to pass."

Lord Dunseveric was left alone in the meeting-house save for the man who
held the torch and the trooper who lay unconscious on the floor.

"Give me the light," he said, "and go you over to your comrade. Loose
his tunic and feel if his heart still beats."

The man did as he was bidden, and reported that the trooper whom Maurice
had stunned was still alive. Lord Dunseveric walked to the door of the
meeting-house and said--

"Captain Twinely, you will now be so good as to take the man who lies
here on the floor and hang him at once. We are not well off for trees in
this country, but there is at least one at the back of the meeting-house
tall enough for the purpose."

There was a threatening growl from the men outside. They drew together.
Their hands were on their swords. Captain Twinely stood a little apart
from them. His eyes were fixed on the ground. He made no motion, and
showed no sign of obeying the orders he was given. Lord Dunseveric
looked first at him and then at the group of angry troopers. He stepped
out of the meeting-house and faced them. He took out his watch and
looked at it.

"I give you ten minutes," he said, "in which to obey my order. If that
man is not hanged in ten minutes I shall march you back to Dunseveric
House, where there are trees enough, and hang every one of you there."

They could have killed him easily as he stood there. They probably would
have killed him if he had shown the smallest sign of fear. They knew
perfectly well that he could not have marched them to Dunseveric House
or anywhere else if they had chosen to resist. Nevertheless, they obeyed
him. A rope was fetched