t, and I had the honouh of escohting her to this
pleasant place, and of beholding my chahming niece for the fihst time. I
was indeed vehy fohtunate in ahhiving when I did, to be able to
contribute a little to the secuhity of Bridesdale."

"You are doubtless aware, Colonel, that our enemies of to-night are in
unlawful possession of Miss Du Plessis' property?"

"Suh, you astonish me. As her natuhal guahdian, I cannot, though in a
foheign land, allow that foh a day, suh."

"We think, at least Squire Carruthers thinks, of attacking them in
force, after the double inquest to-morrow."

"Then, Mr. Cohistine, I shall claim the privilege of joining yoah fohce
as a volunteeh. I wish the ground were fit foh cavalhy manoeuvehs, suh."

"We may need a few mounted men, as we hope to discover a masked road."

"That is vehy intehesting, suh. Will you kindly explain to me the
chahacteh of the ground?"

The lawyer told all that he knew of the region, from hearsay and from
personal experience. The supposed masked road, the actual rocky ascent
covered with felled timber, an abatis, as the colonel called it, the
access by water, and the portcullis at the narrows, were objects of
great interest to the old soldier. He enquired as to the extent of the
means of transportation, the probable numbers of the available force,
and other particulars; and, when the weary Squire returned and bade all
good people go to rest, if they could not sleep, in view of past
wakefulness and the morrow's work, he begged, as a perfectly fresh man,
to be excused and left in command of the guard, adding: "I shall study
out a thyeefold convehging attack on the enemy's position, by wateh and
by land, with cavalhy, infantry and mahines." The guard-room company
joined in a laugh at the military joke, after which they dispersed, with
the exception of the Captain, whom it was a pity to disturb, and
Carruthers, who lay down upon a sofa, while the colonel went out to
inspect his posts.

The pedestrians occupied a large, double-bedded room at the right corner
of the house, above the verandah. The dominie was sleeping peacefully,
but the lawyer had not even removed his clothes, with the exception of
his boots, if they may be so called, as he lay down upon his bed to
rest, with a window half open in front of him. Precisely at the moment
when, the night before, he had discovered the incipient conflagration,
there came to his nostrils the smell of unctuous fire. Pocketing h