the kind as the door was opened to admit his
father, one accustomed to command, and now ready to enter as a prisoner;
but he had very little time then for private thought, for the colonel
suddenly appeared, and without a glance at Sir Robert said sharply:

"Well?"

"Too late to stop it, sir," reported the officer in command. "Captain
Sir Robert Gowan wounded in the arm."

"Baron Steinberg?"

"The doctor is with him, sir. A litter is to be sent at once."

"But--surely not--"

"No, not dead, sir; but run through the body."

"Tut, tut, tut!" ejaculated the colonel; and he turned now to Sir Robert
with words of reproach on his lips, but the fixed look of pain and
despair upon his officer's features disarmed him, and he signed to the
prisoner to enter.

"What shall I do now, father?" said Frank. "Let me fetch another
doctor."

"Nonsense, boy. Only a flesh wound. Go back to the Park at once; I
want to hear what news there is."

"Of the baron, father?"

"Yes; make haste. I must know how he is."

Frank gave a quick, short nod, pressed his father's hand, and hurried
out, to find Andrew, whom he had forgotten for the moment, walking up
and down in front of a knot of soldiers, looking as fretful as a trapped
wolf in a cage.

"They wouldn't let me come in," he said impatiently.

"I only got in because I was supporting my father," said Frank quickly.
"Come along; I'm going to see how the baron is. Has the litter gone?"

"No; there are the men coming with it now."

The two lads set off running, Andrew's ill-humour passing off in action,
and he chatted quite cheerily as they made for the Park.

"Your father was splendid, Frank!" he cried. "I was proud of him. What
a lesson for those haughty sausage-eaters!"

"But it is a terrible business, Drew."

"Stuff! only an affair of honour. Of course it may be serious for your
father if the baron dies: but he won't die. Some of his hot blood let
out. Do him good, and let all these Hanoverians see what stuff the
English have in them. Don't you fidget. Why, every one in the Guards
will be delighted. I know I am. Wouldn't have missed that fight for
anything."

"You don't ask how my father's wound is."

"No, and he would not want me to. Nasty, shallow cut, that's all. Here
we are."

They trotted into the opening where the greensward was all trampled and
stamped by the combatants' feet, and found the doctor kneeling by his
patient just as they had lef