palings. Then even from Mr Healy he vanished as he turned craftily and used the waves of the park to hide him.

Mr Healy and his white gillyflower were left to meet four angry troopers coming over the crest of the hill to take him in the name of the King.

And so in Grateley Manor, as my Lord Sherborne came hastily down the wide stairway he saw a figure white with dust standing in the gloom of the hall. "You come from the King, sirrah?" cried my lord. "What is your errand?

At a bound the tall figure sprang upon him, a fierce gripe caught his throat, a pistol-barrel was pressed to his head, and "This, my lord!" Beaujeu said sharply. "Take me now to Mistress Charlbury or I shoot you here!" And as Sherborne strove against him, "Be still, my lord!" he hissed, and the barrel pressed closer. Sherborne's hands fell. He grinned in the

dark.

"So murder is one of your trades?" he said thickly through the choking gripe.

66

"I am not very patient, my lord," says Beaujeu. "I desire Mistress Charlbury at once."

"But not she you," Sherborne gurgled. "She

"One lie suffices. No more words." The pistol always touching my lord was moved swiftly to the back of his neck. "No sound, no flight, or you die. Take me to her," and the gripe was moved from throat to collar. "Walk! cried Beaujeu. My lord turned without a word, and led on down the hall through the gloom.

CHAPTER XXXV

MY LORD SHERBORNE MAKES AN END

MY LORD SHERBORNE tripped, stumbled, and fell forward, dragging Beaujeu after him to the ground. "O'Gorman!" my lord yelled. "Norris! Rutter!" And then Beaujeu's pistol flashed and cracked above him. Beaujeu sprang up and tossed the empty pistol clattering down, and flung back his cloak and snatched out his rapier. For oaths resounded, and my lord's men came at a run. But my lord groaned from the ground.

Beaujeu sprang to the stairway, and "Rose!" he shouted, full-voiced. "Rose! Answer me! Rose!" and breathing short he drew his second pistol in his left hand. Mr Rutter's rapier was darting at him out of the gloom ere he heard a faint answering cry from above. Beaujeu fired into the breadth of Mr Rutter, and hurled the pistol at his face and turned and darted up. Mr Rutter flung up his arms and fell thudding on

his back.

"Rose!" Beaujeu shouted Beaujeu shouted again in the corridor.

"Here! Here!" she cried, and beat upon the panels of the locked door.

At a run Beaujeu hurled himself against it, and the lock was rent rasping, and he reeled into the room. Rose was dashed behind the door against the wall. He sprang to her,

and, with the rapier held on guard across the doorway, caught her in his left arm. Hurt, child?" he gasped.

66

"No! no!" and she clung to him and laughed happily. "Quite, quite safe! Ah,

but-

66

But Beaujeu sprang away from her no whit too soon, and lunged at a venturous gentleman who was coming in. The fellow sprang back against the wainscot of the corridor, and even so was pinked. He gurgled and reeled sideways, and his fellows were heard to check and slide along the floor. And Beaujeu laughed loud in the darkness, and Another, gentlemen, another!" he cried. For as he stood shielded in the doorway none could assail him, save from his front, and his long arm, as he knew, and they by proof, reached easily to the farther wall. My Lord Sherborne's army appeared to mislike the position. They remained out of sight muttering. An unsteady step approached. My Lord Sherborne's voice rose in hoarse rage. "Pox on't! Why do you wait? Do you fear one man? Oh, curse you for cowards! Give me a sword!" "Easy, now, easy, my lordit was Mr O'Gorman. "Sure, you have had enough of him already- and he lowered his voice muttering swiftly. Others joined in, and for a long while Beaujeu stood idle on guard in the dark, straining his ears vainly. At last:

66

'As you will, as you will," he heard my lord growl. Only make an end."

66

Hurried footsteps sounded in the corridor,

and Rose stole up to Beaujeu and laid a trembling hand on his arm. "Back, child, back to the window!" he whispered. "Watch

there!"

But the footsteps came again after a while, and now a dim light shone past the doorway. "I'll thank you for that!" cried Beaujeu with a laugh, and there were long mutterings yet again.

The light grew brighter a little. Holding wooden chairs before them like bucklers, Mr Norris and Mr O'Gorman edged along the wainscot. Then with a yell they ran together upon Beaujeu's point. But Beaujeu sprang aside and shortened his sword and stabbed Mr Norris swiftly under the arm, who went crashing down with his chair as two more swordsmen broke in on Beaujeu, and my lord came shuffling with two lanthorns to light the fray. The two lunged fiercely in the flickering yellow light, and Beaujeu must needs break ground again and flap his cloak in their faces. While they fought stamping about the fallen chair and the dead, Mr O'Gorman had cast his own chair away and drew near slyly, cocking a pistol. Rose ran upon him with a cry and caught his arm. Swearing, he turned upon her, and at that my lord cast away his lanthorns and sprang to them. All was dark suddenly, but the pistol flashed red and roared and a body fell with a thud.

"Holy virgin, 'tis himself!" gasped Mr O'Gorman.

"Odso, have ye shot my lord?" lord?" cried Beaujeu's foes, and their blades met his no longer, and he heard them jump back. But Mr O'Gorman yelled an oath and ran empty handed on Beaujeu, who heard him, and moving to one side drove out his fist through the dark. Mr O'Gorman crashed down against the door and lay clucking. Beaujeu kicked him out to the corridor, and, breathing hard, stood again on guard.

"Art hurt, Rose?" he panted.

"No, no indeed, but my lord—” the girl gasped.

"Give him water," said M. de Beaujeu. He heard Rose murmur softly:

66

My lord, my lord" and then give a cry and sob.

"Give him water," said Beaujeu again. But my lord had no mouth.

CHAPTER XXXVI

MR HEALY DESERTS A CONVERSATION

FOUR angry troopers of the Blues came over the crest of the hill and saw a dusty gentleman trudging on leading an unwilling steed.

"Od rot ye! Halte là!" cried their corporal. Mr Healy turned and smiled upon them and waited: "Can you lend me a horse now?" says

he.

At which the corporal became profane, and