he
had been false. Of these two the latter was by far the worse. He had faced
Ashby already, and could face him again, as a mortal enemy, to fight a
mortal battle; but Talbot! Ah! with what eyes could he look upon that pure
and noble face? with what words could he address her?

Katie's thoughts seemed to be running in that channel which Harry was
using for his own; for she suddenly looked at him with earnest scrutiny,
and said, abruptly,

"But you are as bad."

"As bad?"

"As bad as me."

Harry sighed.

"Mr. Ashby," said Katie, innocently, "will want to see you too, you know."

"Of course," said Harry.

"Oh well, then," said Katie, "I needn't see him at all. You can explain it
all; for really I hardly know what I can possibly find to say to him."

"I'm afraid," said Harry, "that he will insist on seeing you, and on
learning his fate from your own lips."

"His fate!" said Katie--"oh dear!"

"I would take all the difficulty from you if I could," said Harry, "but I
don't see how I can."

"Oh well," said Katie, cheerfully. "Perhaps he will not be in any very
great hurry to see me, after all. He did not seem very anxious about me in
the room below. He did not look like a maniac. He did not remonstrate with
Lopez. He did not draw his pistol and attack the captain in the midst of
his men. He did not fight for me, and risk his life. No; he thought too
much of his own dear self, and left all the fighting and all the risk to
one who is worth far more than ten thousand Ashbys! And that's what I'll
tell him!" said Katie. "Let me see him now, while all this is fresh in my
memory. Come, Harry, let us wait no longer, but if this meeting has to be,
let it be now."

Katie poured forth these words in an impetuous torrent, and, starting up,
led the way out. Harry followed, and thus they descended the stairway to
the lower hall.

Ashby had gone out shortly after Harry and Katie, following Dolores, who
was anxious to see about the gates. The six Carlists followed. The gates
were wide-open, and far away a few of the fugitives could still be seen
flying as fast as their feet could carry them. The six Carlists soon had
the gates firmly closed and barred, and mounted guard here, deeming this
to be the weak point of the castle; and thinking, too, that if an enemy
appeared, he would consider six men at the gate a sign that six hundred
were in the garrison.

Russell had followed the six Carlists, thinking that with them he woul