ver turn his back on his
men to save himself."

"Of course not, till the day was hopelessly lost."

"Not when the day was hopelessly lost," said Captain Murray, so sternly
that Frank took alarm.

"Why do you speak to me like that?" he cried, rising from his seat.
"His name was not in the despatch. Ah! you have heard. There is
something worse behind. Oh, Captain Murray, don't say that he was
killed."

"I say," said that officer sadly, "it were better that he had been
killed--that he had died leading his men, as a brave officer should
die."

"Then he did not," cried Frank, with a hoarse sigh of relief.

"No, he escaped that."

"And to liberty?"

"No, my boy, no," said the doctor, uttering a groan.

"But I tell you that his name was not in the despatch. He couldn't have
been taken prisoner."

There was silence in the room, and the candles for want of snuffing were
very dim.

"Why don't you speak to me?" cried Frank passionately. "Am I such a boy
that you treat me as a child?"

"My poor lad! You must know the truth," said Captain Murray gently.
"Your father's and Colonel Forbes's names are both in the despatch as
prisoners."

"No, no, no!" cried Frank wildly. "The Princess--"

"Kept the worst news back, to try and spare your poor mother pain. It
is as I always feared."

"Then you are right," moaned Frank; and he uttered a piteous cry. "Yes,
it would have been better if he had died."

For the headsman's axe seemed to be glimmering in the black darkness
ahead, and he shuddered as he recalled once more what he had seen on
Temple Bar.

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN.

UNDER THE DARK CLOUD.

There was no waiting for news now. Despatch succeeded despatch rapidly,
and the occupants of the Palace were made familiar with the proceedings
in the north; and as Frank heard more and more of the disastrous tidings
he was in agony, and at last announced to Captain Murray that he could
bear it all no longer.

"I must go and join my father," he said one day. "It is cruel and
cowardly to stay here in the midst of all this luxury and rejoicing,
while he is being dragged up to London like a criminal."

"Have you told Lady Gowan of your intentions?" said the captain quietly.

"Told her? No!" cried Frank excitedly. "Why, in her state it would
half kill her."

"And if you break away from here and go to join your father, it would
quite kill her."

Frank looked at him aghast, and the captain went on:

"We