nother thing too; the Prince and his Majesty are not on friendly terms.
I hear that they have quarrelled, and that they parted in great anger.
Frank, you must wait and hope."

"Wait and hope--wait and hope!" said Frank bitterly. "Is that the way a
son should seek to comfort his father, and try to save his life? Sit
still, and do nothing but wait and hope! Oh, it is of no use! I cannot
bear it. I will not stay chained up in this dreadful place. I cannot,
I will not serve either the prince or king who would hurry my father to
the block."

"Stop! Think what you are saying, boy. What rash thing are you going
to do?"

"Rash? Nothing can be rash at such a time. I am going to try and save
my father."

"Once more, boy--your mother, have you forgotten her?"

"No," said the lad firmly; "but I should be forgetting her if I made no
effort, but sat still and let things drift."

Captain Murray sighed, and rose from his seat.

"Frank," he said gravely, "I never had a brother, but for years now your
father seemed to fill a brother's place with me, and I tell you as a man
that there is nothing I would not do to save his life. I am a simple
soldier; I know my duties well, and if the need arose I could go and
face death with the rest, feeling that it was the right thing to do; but
I am not clever, I am no statesman--not one of those who can argue and
fence--unless," he said bitterly, "it is with my sword. I looked upon
you as a mere boy, but over this you are more the man than I. You
master me. I cannot do more than defend myself. Still, I think I am
advising you rightly when I beg and pray of you to do nothing rash.
Don't take any step, I say once more, that will embitter the Prince
against you. I will go now. Stay here for a while till you grow
calmer, and then come to my quarters. I feel that I only irritate you,
and must seem weak and cowardly to you. You will be better alone. I,
too, shall be better alone. I want to try and think, and it is hard
work this morning, for I am in terrible pain. One of my ribs was broken
last night in that crowd, and at times I am sick and faint."

Frank heard his words, but did not seem to grasp them, and sat back in
his seat with his chin resting upon his breast as the captain walked
slowly away. Had he looked after him, he would have seen that twice
over he stopped to lean for a few minutes against a tree.

But the boy neither looked up nor stirred. He sat for some tim