em for a few minutes till the crowd
broke and ran. The way was clear enough as at a double the Grenadiers
came up, and passed round the angle at Newgate Street, the escort
driving the mob before it; and the wide space at the west end of the Old
Bailey was reached.

This was packed with troops, who had preserved an opening for the
carriages, and into it the Grenadiers marched, and formed up round the
massive prison gates. And now Frank made an effort, with Captain
Murray's assistance, to get to the carriage door again for one short
farewell. But in the hurry and excitement of the time, the pass from
the Palace and the military uniform the captain wore went for nothing,
the dense mass of Grenadiers stood firm, and very few minutes sufficed
for the prisoners to be passed in and the gates closed. A strong force
of infantry was stationed within and without, for the authorities
dreaded an attack upon the prison; and the regiment of dragoons that had
been detailed to meet the escort and guard the road to Islington
patrolled the approaches, while the rest marched off to their quarters
amidst the hooting and yelling of the crowd.

Captain Murray turned off at once into a side street, and rode beside
Frank for some distance, respecting in silence his young companion's
grief, hardly a word passing till they reached the Guards' stables and
left their horses, which looked, by the light of the men's lanthorns, as
if they had passed through a river. Then the pair hurried across the
Park, feeling half-stunned by their adventure, Frank so entirely,
exhausted that he would have gladly availed himself of his friend's arm.

But he fought hard, and just as the clock was striking twelve he made
his way to his mother's room, wondering whether he was to be called upon
to face some fresh grief. But he found Lady Gowan lying awake, and
ready to stretch out her hands to him.

"You saw him, Frank?" she whispered; and the disorder of his appearance
escaped her notice.

"Yes, mother; I rode beside him, and he spoke to me."

"Yes, yes; what did he say?" cried Lady Gowan.

Frank delivered his father's loving message, and his mother's eyes
closed.

"Yes," she said softly, "to meet again in happier times." Then,
unclosing her eyes again, she moaned out, "Oh, Frank, Frank, my boy, my
boy!" and he forgot his own weakness and suffering in his efforts to
perform the sacred duty which had fallen to his lot.

CHAPTER FORTY TWO.

AFTER