where my friends are fleeing unto."

"Then you'll be hung as high as Haman at daybreak; so you can take
your choice," said he.

"If I direct you unto the place whereunto she is gone," I said, "it
will be a hard matter to find her."

"That's our business, not yours. Tell us where it is."

"For, suppose she were in hiding in a city, a large busy place like
Bristol, and waited for a conveyance to a foreign land----"

"In Bristol! Oho, say no more! Ensign Morley, take ten of the best
mounted of the troop and scour the northern roads towards Bristol. You
will overtake them ere they are far advanced."

"I pray you, captain," I said, "to observe--I have not told you she
is gone towards Bristol."

"I know you haven't," he said smiling, "I will bear witness you have
kept her secret well; but here we are about to enter the Court, for
the firing is finished. The rebels will be on gibbets within
twenty-four hours, every one."

But there was no sign of the gate being opened. Contrariwise there did
appear, in the dimness of the evening-sky, certain dark caps above the
outside wall, which I did recognise as being worn by the serving-men
of the great lady's friends; and while we were yet talking, a flight
of bullets passed close over our heads, and three or four of the
troopers fell off dead men, leaving their saddles empty and their
horses masterless.

"Draw close, my men," cried the captain, "right wheel;" and setting
his men an example, he did gallop with what speed he might from the
propinquity of the wall. As for myself, I was in some sort relieved by
the knowledge that the noble mansion still continued in possession of
the Viscount Lessingholm; and comforting myself with the assurance
that no evil could befall my daughter Waller while under his
protection, I did contrive to seize by the bridle one of the dragoons'
horses (a stout black horse, which, being never claimed, did do my
farming work for fifteen years), and climbing up into the saddle,
betook me home to inform my excellent wife of all these dreadful
events. All next day, and all the next--yea, for three whole days--I
staid in my quiet home, receiving information quietly by means of a
note brought to me by my servants, that the mansion still held out,
that Waller was quite safe, and that, provided no artillery was
brought to bear against them, they could hold out _till the time
came_. What was the meaning of the latter phraseology, I did not know;
but consid