THE CORNET OF HORSE:

A Tale of Marlborough's Wars

by

G. A. HENTY. 

1914

Contents

 Chapter 1: Windthorpe Chace. Chapter 2: Rupert to the Rescue. Chapter 3: A Kiss and its Consequences. Chapter 4: The Sedan Chair. Chapter 5: The Fencing School. Chapter 6: The War Of Succession. Chapter 7: Venloo. Chapter 8: The Old Mill. Chapter 9: The Duel. Chapter 10: The Battle Of The Dykes. Chapter 11: A Death Trap. Chapter 12: The Sad Side Of War. Chapter 13: Blenheim. Chapter 14: The Riot at Dort. Chapter 15: The End of a Feud. Chapter 16: Ramilies. Chapter 17: A Prisoner of War. Chapter 18: The Court of Versailles. Chapter 19: The Evasion. Chapter 20: Loches. Chapter 21: Back in Harness. Chapter 22: Oudenarde. Chapter 23: The Siege of Lille. Chapter 24: Adele. Chapter 25: Flight and Pursuit. Chapter 26: The Siege of Tournai. Chapter 27: Malplaquet, and the End of the War. 

Chapter 1: Windthorpe Chace. 

"One, two, three, four, one, two, three, four--turn to your lady;one, two, three, four--now deep reverence. Now you take her hand;no, not her whole hand--the tips of her fingers; now you lead herto her seat; now a deep bow, so. That will do. You are improving, but you must be more light, more graceful, more courtly in yourair; still you will do. 

"Now run away, Mignon, to the garden; you have madam's permissionto gather fruit. 

"Now, Monsieur Rupert, we will take our lesson in fencing. "

The above speech was in the French language, and the speaker was atall, slightly-built man of about fifty years of age. The scene wasa long low room, in a mansion situated some two miles from Derby. The month was January, 1702, and King William the Third sat uponthe throne. In the room, in addition to the dancing master, werethe lad he was teaching, an active, healthy-looking boy betweenfifteen and sixteen; his partner, a bright-faced French girl ofsome twelve years of age; and an old man, nearer eighty thanseventy, but still erect and active, who sat in a large armchair, looking on. 

By the alacrity with which the lad went to an armoire and took outthe foils, and steel caps with visors which served as fencingmasks, it was clear that he preferred the fencing lesson to thedancing. He threw off his coat, buttoned a padded guard across hischest, and handing a foil to his instructor, took his place beforehim. 

"Now let us practise that thrust in tierce after the feint anddisengage. You were not quite so close as you might have been, yesterday. Ha! ha! that is better. I think that monsieur yourgrandfather has been giving you a lesson, and poaching on my manor. Is it not so?"

"Yes, " said the old man, "I gave him ten minutes yesterday evening;but I must give it up. My sword begins to fail me, and your pupilgets more skillful, and stronger in the wrist, every day. In thedays when I was at Saint Germains with the king, when the cropheadslorded it here, I could hold my own with the best of your youngblades. But even allowing fully for the stiffness of age, I think Ican still gauge the strength of an opponent, and I think the boypromises to be of premiere force. "

"It is as you say, monsieur le colonel. My pupil is born to be afencer; he learns it with all his heart; he has had two goodteachers for three years; he has worked with all his energy at it;and he has one of those supple strong wrists that seem made for thesword. He presses me hard. 

"Now, Monsieur Rupert, open play, and do your best. "

Then began a struggle which would have done credit to any fencingschool in Europe. Rupert Holliday was as active as a cat, and wasever on the move, constantly shifting his ground, advancing andretreating with astonishing lightness and activity. At first he wastoo eager, and his instructor touched him twice over his guard. Then, rendered cautious, he fought more carefully, although with noless quickness than before; and for some minutes there was noadvantage on either side, the master's longer reach and calm steadyplay baffling every effort of his assailant. 

At last, with a quick turn of the wrist, he sent Rupert's foilflying across the room. Rupert gave an exclamation of disgust, followed by a merry laugh. 

"You always have me so, Monsieur Dessin. Do what I will, sooner orlater comes that twist, which I cannot stop. "

"You must learn how, sir. Your sword is so; as you lunge I guard, and run my foil along yours, so as to get power near my hilt. Nowif I press, your sword must go; but you must not let me press; youmust disengage quickly. Thus, you see?

"Now let us try again. We will practise nothing else today--ortomorrow--or till you are perfect. It is your one weak point. Thenyou must practise to disarm your opponent, till you are perfect inthat also. Then, as far as I can teach you, you will be a master offencing. You know all my coups, and all those of monsieur lecolonel. These face guards, too, have worked wonders, in enablingyou to play with quickness and freedom. We are both fine blades. 

"I tell you, young sir, you need not put up with an insult in anypublic place in Europe. I tell you so, who ought to know. "

In the year 1702 fencing was far from having attained thatperfection which it reached later. Masks had not yet been invented, and in consequence play was necessarily stiff and slow, as thedanger of the loss of sight, or even of death, from a chance thrustwas very great. When Rupert first began his lessons, he was so rashand hasty that his grandfather greatly feared an accident, and itstruck him that by having visors affixed to a couple of light steelcaps, not only would all possibility of an accident be obviatedupon the part of either himself or his pupil, but the latter wouldattain a freedom and confidence of style which could otherwise beonly gained from a long practice in actual war. The result had morethan equalled his expectations; and Monsieur Dessin had, when heassumed the post of instructor, been delighted with the invention, and astonished at the freedom and boldness of the lad's play. Itwas, then, thanks to these masks, as well as to his teachers' skilland his own aptitude, that Rupert had obtained a certainty, arapidity, and a freedom of style absolutely impossible in the caseof a person, whatever his age, who had been accustomed to fencewith the face unguarded, and with the caution and stiffnessnecessary to prevent the occurrence of terrible accident. 

For another half hour the lesson went on. Then, just as the finalsalute was given, the door opened at the end of the room, and alady entered, in the stiff dress with large hoops then in fashion. Colonel Holliday advanced with a courtly air, and offered her hishand. The French gentleman, with an air to the full as courtly asthat of the colonel, brought forward a chair for her; and when shehad seated herself, Rupert advanced to kiss her hand. 

"No, Rupert, you are too hot. There, leave us; I wish to speak toColonel Holliday and monsieur. "

With a deep bow, and a manner far more respectful and distant thanthat which nowadays would be shown to a stranger who was worthy ofall honour, Rupert Holliday left his mother's presence. 

"I know what she wants, " Rupert muttered to himself. "To stop myfencing lessons; just as if a gentleman could fence too well. Shewants me to be a stiff, cold, finnikin fop, like that conceitedyoung Brownlow, of the Haugh. 

"Not if I know it, madame ma mere. You will never make a courtierof me, any more than you will a whig. The colonel fought at Naseby, and was with the king in France. Papa was a tory, and so am I. "

And the lad whistled a Jacobite air as he made his way with a rapidstep to the stables. 

The terms Whig and Tory in the reign of King William had verylittle in common with the meaning which now attaches to thesewords. The principal difference between the two was in their viewsas to the succession to the throne. The Princess Anne would succeedKing William, and the whigs desired to see George, Elector ofHanover, ascend the throne when it again became vacant; the torieslooked to the return of the Stuarts. The princess's sympathies werewith the tories, for she, as a daughter of James the Second, wouldnaturally have preferred that the throne should revert to herbrother, than that it should pass to a German prince, a stranger toher, a foreigner, and ignorant even of the language of the people. Roughly it may be said that the tories were the descendants of thecavaliers, while the whigs inherited the principles of theparliamentarians. Party feeling ran very high throughout thecountry; and as in the civil war, the towns were for the most partwhig in their predilection, the country was tory. 

Rupert Holliday had grown up in a divided house. The fortunes ofColonel Holliday were greatly impaired in the civil war. Hisestates were forfeited; and at the restoration he received hisancestral home, Windthorpe Chace, and a small portion of thesurrounding domain, but had never been able to recover the outlyingproperties from the men who had acquired them in his absence. Hehad married in France, the daughter of an exile like himself; butbefore the "king came to his own" his wife had died, and hereturned with one son, Herbert. 

Herbert had, when he arrived at manhood, restored the fortunes ofthe Chace by marrying Mistress Dorothy Maynard, the daughter andheiress of a wealthy brewer of Derby, who had taken the side ofparliament, and had thriven greatly at the expense of the royalistgentry of the neighbourhood. After the restoration he, like manyother roundheads who had grown rich by the acquisition of forfeitedestates, felt very doubtful whether he should be allowed to retainpossession, and was glad enough to secure his daughter's fortune bymarrying her to the heir of a prominent royalist. Colonel Hollidayhad at first objected strongly to the match, but the probableadvantage to the fortune of his house at last prevailed over hispolitical bias. The fortune which Mistress Dorothy brought into thefamily was eventually much smaller than had been expected, forseveral of the owners of estates of which the roundhead brewer hadbecome possessed, made good their claims to them. 

Still Herbert Holliday was a rich man at his father-in-law's death, which happened three years after the marriage. With a portion ofhis wife's dowry most of the outlying properties which had belongedto the Chace were purchased back from their holders; but HerbertHolliday, who was a weak man, cared nothing for a country life, butresided in London with his wife. There he lived for another sixyears, and was then killed in a duel over a dispute at cards, having in that time managed to run through every penny that hiswife had brought him, save that invested in the lands of the Chace. 

Dorothy Holliday then, at the Colonel's earnest invitation, returned to the Chace with her son Rupert, then five years old. There she ruled as mistress, for her disposition was a masterfulone, and she was a notable housekeeper. The colonel gladly resignedthe reins of government into her hands. The house and surroundingland were his; the estate whose rental enabled the household to bemaintained as befitted that of a county family, was hers; and bothwould in time, unless indeed Dorothy Holliday should marry again, go to Rupert. Should she marry again--and at the time of herhusband's death she wanted two or three years of thirty--she mightdivide the estate between Rupert and any other children she mighthave, she having purchased the estate with her dowry, and havingright of appointment between her children as she chose. ColonelHolliday was quite content to leave to his daughter-in-law themanagement of the Chace, while he assumed that of his grandson, onwhom he doted. The boy, young as he then was, gave every promise ofa fine and courageous disposition, and the old cavalier promisedhimself that he would train him to be a soldier and a gentleman. 

When the lad was eight years old, the old vicar of the littlechurch at the village at the gates of the Chace died, and theliving being in the colonel's gift as master of the Chace, heappointed a young man, freshly ordained, from Oxford, who wasforthwith installed as tutor to Rupert. 

Three years later, Colonel Holliday heard that a French emigre hadsettled in Derby, and gave lessons in his own language and infencing. Rupert had already made some advance in these studies, forColonel Holliday, from his long residence in France, spoke thelanguage like a native; and now, after Mistress Dorothy's objectionhaving been overcome by the assurance that French and fencing werenecessary parts of a gentleman's education if he were ever to makehis way at court, Monsieur Dessin was installed as tutor in thesebranches, coming out three times a week for the afternoon to theChace. 

A few months before our story begins, dancing had been added to thesubjects taught. This was a branch of education which MonsieurDessin did not impart to the inhabitants of Derby, where indeed hehad but few pupils, the principal portion of his scanty incomebeing derived from his payments from the Chace. He had, however, acceded willingly enough to Mistress Dorothy's request, his consentperhaps being partly due to the proposition that, as it would benecessary that the boy should have a partner, a pony with a groomshould be sent over twice a week to Derby to fetch his littledaughter Adele out to the Chace, where, when the lesson was over, she could amuse herself in the grounds until her father was free toaccompany her home. 

In those days dancing was an art to be acquired only with longstudy. It was a necessity that a gentleman should dance, and dancewell, and the stately minuet required accuracy, grace, and dignity. Dancing in those days was an art; it has fallen grievously fromthat high estate. 

Between Monsieur Dessin and the old cavalier a cordial friendshipreigned. The former had never spoken of his past history, but thecolonel never doubted that, like so many refugees who sought ourshore from France from the date of the revocation of the edict ofNantes to the close of the great revolution, he was of noble blood, an exile from his country on account of his religion or politicalopinions; and the colonel tried in every way to repay to him thehospitality and kindness which he himself had received during hislong exile in France. Very often, when lessons were over, the twowould stroll in the garden, talking over Paris and its court; andit was only the thought of his little daughter, alone in his dulllodgings in Derby, that prevented Monsieur Dessin from acceptingthe warm invitation to the evening meal which the colonel oftenpressed upon him. During the daytime he could leave her, for Adelewent to the first ladies' school in the town, where she received aneducation in return for her talking French to the younger pupils. It was on her half holidays that she came over to dance with RupertHolliday. 

Mistress Dorothy did not approve of her son's devotion to fencing, although she had no objection to his acquiring the courtlyaccomplishments of dancing and the French language; but heropposition was useless. Colonel Holliday reminded her of the termsof their agreement, that she was to be mistress of the Chace, andthat he was to superintend Rupert's education. Upon the presentoccasion, when the lad had left the room, she again protestedagainst what she termed a waste of time. 

"It is no waste of time, madam, " the old cavalier said, more firmlythan he was accustomed to speak to his daughter-in-law. "Rupertwill never grow up a man thrusting himself into quarrels; andbelieve me, the reputation of being the best swordsman at the courtwill keep him out of them. In Monsieur Dessin and myself I may saythat he has had two great teachers. In my young days there was nofiner blade at the Court of France than I was; and Monsieur Dessinis, in the new style, what I was in the old. The lad may be asoldier--"

"He shall never be a soldier, " Madam Dorothy broke out. 

"That, madam, " the colonel said courteously, "will be for the ladhimself and for circumstances to decide. When I was his age therewas nothing less likely than that I should be a soldier; but yousee it came about. "

"Believe me, Madam, " Monsieur Dessin said deferentially, "it isgood that your son should be a master of fence. Not only may he atcourt be forced into quarrels, in which it will be necessary forhim to defend his honour, but in all ways it benefits him. Look athis figure; nature has given him health and strength, but fencinghas given him that light, active carriage, the arm of steel, and abearing which at his age is remarkable. Fencing, too, gives aquickness, a readiness, and promptness of action which in itself isan admirable training. Monsieur le colonel has been good enough topraise my fencing, and I may say that the praise is deserved. Thereare few men in France who would willingly have crossed swords withme, " and now he spoke with a hauteur characteristic of a Frenchnoble rather than a fencing master. 

Madam Holliday was silent; but just as she was about to speakagain, a sound of horses' hoofs were heard outside. The silencecontinued until a domestic entered, and said that Sir WilliamBrownlow and his son awaited madam's pleasure in the drawing room. 

A dark cloud passed over the old colonel's face as Mistress Dorothyrose and, with a sweeping courtesy, left the room. 

"Let us go into the garden, monsieur, " he said abruptly, "and seehow your daughter is getting on. "

Adele was talking eagerly with Rupert, at a short distance fromwhom stood a lad some two years his senior, dressed in an attirethat showed he was of inferior rank. Hugh Parsons was in fact theson of the tenant of the home farm of the Chace, and had sinceRupert's childhood been his playmate, companion, and protector. 

"Monsieur mon pere, " Adele said, dancing up to her father, andpausing for a moment to courtesy deeply to him and ColonelHolliday, "Monsieur Rupert is going out with his hawks after aheron that Hugh has seen in the pool a mile from here. He hasoffered to take me on his pony, if you will give permission for meto go. "

"Certainly, you may go, Adele. Monsieur Rupert will be careful ofyou, I am sure. "

"Yes, indeed, " Rupert said. "I will be very careful. 

"Hugh, see my pony saddled, and get the hawks. I will run in for acloth to lay over the saddle. "

In five minutes the pony was brought round, a cloth was laid overthe saddle, and Rupert aided Adele to mount, with as much deferenceas if he had been assisting a princess. Then he took the reins andwalked by the pony's head, while Hugh followed, with two hoodedhawks upon his arm. 

"They are a pretty pair, " Colonel Holliday said, looking afterthem. 

"Yes, " Monsieur Dessin replied, but so shortly that the colonellooked at him with surprise. 

He was looking after his daughter and Rupert with a grave, thoughtful face, and had evidently answered his own thought ratherthan the old cavalier's remark. 

"Yes, " he repeated, rousing himself with an effort, "they are apretty pair indeed. "

At a walking pace, Rupert Holliday, very proud of his charge, ledthe pony in the direction of the pool in which the heron had anhour before been seen by Hugh, the boy and girl chattering inFrench as they went. When they neared the spot they stopped, andAdele alighted. Then Rupert took the hawks, while Hugh went forwardalone to the edge of the pool. Just as he reached it a heron soaredup with a hoarse cry. 

Rupert slipped the hoods off the hawks, and threw them into theair. They circled for an instant, and then, as they saw theirquarry rising, darting off with the velocity of arrows. The heroninstantly perceived his danger, and soared straight upwards. Thehawks pursued him, sailing round in circles higher and higher. Sothey mounted until they were mere specks in the sky. 

At last the hawks got above the heron, and instantly prepared topounce upon him. Seeing his danger, the heron turned on his back, and, with feet and beak pointed upwards to protect himself, fellalmost like a stone towards the earth; but more quickly still thehawks darted down upon him. One the heron with a quick movementliterally impaled upon his sharp bill; but the other planted histalons in his breast, and, rending and tearing at his neck, thethree birds fell together, with a crash, to the earth. 

The flight had been so directly upwards that they fell but a shortdistance from the pool, and the lads and Adele were quickly uponthe spot. The heron was killed by the fall; and to Rupert's grief;one of his hawks was also dead, pierced through and through by theheron's beak. The other bird was with difficulty removed from thequarry, and the hood replaced. 

Rupert, after giving the heron's plumes to Adele for her hat, ledher back to the pony, Hugh following with the hawk on his wrist, and carrying the two dead birds. 

"I am so sorry your hawk is killed, " Adele said. 

"Yes, " Rupert answered, "it is a pity. It was a fine, bold bird, and gave us lots of trouble to train; but he was always rash, and Itold him over and over again what would happen if he was not morecareful. "

"Have you any more?" Adele asked. 

"No more falcons like this. I have gerfalcons, for pigeons andpartridges, but none for herons. But I dare say Hugh will be ableto get me two more young birds before long, and it is a pleasure totrain them. "

Colonel Holliday and Monsieur Dessin met them as they returned tothe house. 

"What, Rupert! Had bad luck?" his grandfather said. 

"Yes, sir. Cavalier was too rash, and the quarry killed him. "

"Hum!" said the old man; "just the old story. The falcon was wellnamed, Rupert. It was just our rashness that lost us all ourbattles. 

"What, Monsieur Dessin, you must be off? Will you let me have ahorse saddled for yourself; and the pony for mademoiselle? Thegroom can bring them back. "

Monsieur Dessin declined the offer; and a few minutes later startedto walk back with his daughter to Derby. 

Chapter 2: Rupert to the Rescue. 

About a month after the day on which Rupert had taken MademoiselleAdele Dessin out hawking, the colonel and Mistress Dorothy went todine at the house of a county family some miles away. The familycoach, which was only used on grand occasions, was had out, and inthis Mistress Dorothy, hooped and powdered in accordance with thefashion of the day, took her seat with Colonel Holliday. Rupert hadbeen invited, as the eldest son was a lad of his own age. 

It was a memorable occasion for him, as he was for the first timeto dress in the full costume of the period--with powdered hair, ruffles, a blue satin coat and knee breeches of the same material, with silk stockings. His greatest pleasure, however, was that hewas now to wear a sword, the emblem of a gentleman, for the firsttime. He was to ride on horseback, for madam completely filled thecoach with her hoops and brocaded dress, and there was scarcelyroom for Colonel Holliday, who sat beside her almost lost in herample skirts. 

The weather was cold, and Rupert wore a riding cloak over hisfinery, and high boots, which were upon his arrival to be exchangedfor silver-buckled shoes. They started at twelve, for the dinnerhour was two, and there were eight miles to drive--a distancewhich, over the roads of those days, could not be accomplished muchunder two hours. The coachman and two lackeys took their places onthe box of the lumbering carriage, the two latter being armed withpistols, as it would be dark before they returned, and travellingafter dark in the days of King William was a danger not to belightly undertaken. Nothing could be more stately, or to Rupert'smind more tedious, than that entertainment. Several other guests ofdistinction were present, and the dinner was elaborate. 

The conversation turned chiefly on county business, with anoccasional allusion to the war with France. Politics were entirelyeschewed, for party feeling ran too high for so dangerous a subjectto be broached at a gathering at which both whigs and tories werepresent. 

Rupert sat near one end of the table, with the eldest son of thehost. As a matter of course they kept absolute silence in anassembly of their elders, only answering shortly and respectfullywhen spoken to. When dinner was over, however, and the ladies rose, they slipped away to a quiet room, and made up for their longsilence by chatting without cessation of their dogs, and hawks, andsports, until at six o'clock the coach came round to the door, andRupert, again donning his cloak and riding boots, mounted hishorse, and rode slowly off after the carriage. 

Slow as the progress had been in the daytime, it was slower now. The heavy coach jolted over great lumps of rough stone, and bumpedinto deep ruts, with a violence which would shake a modern vehicleto pieces. Sometimes, where the road was peculiarly bad, thelackeys would get down, light torches at the lanterns that hungbelow the box, and show the way until the road improved. 

They had ridden about six miles, when some distance ahead the soundof pistol shots, followed by loud shouts, came sharply on the ear. Rupert happened to be in front, and with the love of adventurenatural to his age, he set spurs to his horse and dashed forward, not hearing, or at any rate not heeding, the shouts of hisgrandfather. Colonel Holliday, finding that Rupert was fairly off, bade the lackeys get down, and follow him at a run with theirpistols, and urged the coachman to drive on with all possiblespeed. Rupert was not long in reaching the scene of action; andhurried the more that he could hear the clinking of sword blades, and knew that the resistance of those assailed had not ceased. 

On arriving at the spot he saw, as he expected, a carriage standingby the road. One or two figures lay stretched on the ground; thedriver lay back, a huddled mass, on his seat; a man held high atorch with one hand, while with the other he was striving torecharge a pistol. Four other men with swords were attacking agentleman who, with his back to the coach, was defending himselfcalmly and valiantly. 

As he rode up Rupert unbuttoned his riding cloak, and threw it offas he reined up his horse and dismounted. An execration broke fromthe assailants at seeing this new arrival, but perceiving that hewas alone, one of the four men advanced to attack him. 

Just as Rupert leapt from his horse, the man holding the torchcompleted the loading of his pistol, and levelling it at him, fired. The ball knocked off his hat just as he touched the ground, and the man shouted:

"Kill him, Gervais. Spit him like a lark; he is only a boy. "

Rupert drew his sword as the highwayman advanced upon him, and wasin a moment hotly engaged. Never before had he fenced with pointedrapiers; but the swords had scarcely crossed when he felt, with theinstinct of a good fencer, how different were the clumsy thrusts ofhis opponent to the delicate and skillful play of his grandfatherand Monsieur Dessin. There was no time to lose in feints andflourishes; the man with the torch had drawn his sword, and wascoming up; and Rupert parried a thrust of his assailant's, and witha rapid lunge in tierce ran him right through the body. Then with abound he dashed through the men attacking the traveller, and tookhis stand beside him, while the torchbearer, leaving his torchagainst a stump of a tree, also joined the combat. 

Beyond a calm "I thank you, sir; your arrival is most opportune, "from the traveller, not a word passed as the swords clashed andground against each other. 

"Dash in, and finish him, " shouted the man who appeared the leaderof the assailants, and three of them rushed together at thetraveller. The leader fell back cursing, with a sword thrustthrough his shoulder, just at the moment when Rupert sent the swordof the man who was attacking him flying through the air, andturning at once, engaged one of the two remaining assailants of thetraveller. But these had had enough of it; and as the lackeys camerunning up, they turned, and rushed away into the darkness. Thelackeys at Rupert's order discharged their pistols after them; buta moment later the sound of four horses making off at full gallop, showed that they had escaped. 

"By my faith, " the traveller said, turning to Rupert, and holdingout his hand, "no knight errant ever arrived more opportunely. Youare a gallant gentleman, sir; permit me to ask to whom I am soindebted?"

"My name is Rupert Holliday, sir, " the lad said, as the strangershook his hand warmly, and who, as the lackey approached with thetorch, exclaimed:

"Why, by the king's head, you are but a stripling, and you have runone of these fellows through the body, and disarmed the other, asneatly as I ever saw it done in the schools. Why, young sir, if yougo on like this you will be a very Paladin. "

"I have had good masters, sir, " Rupert said, modestly; "and havingbeen taught to use my sword, there is little merit in trouncingsuch rascals as these. "

"By my faith, but there is though, " the stranger said. "It is onething to fence in a school with buttoned foils, another to bearoneself as calmly and as well as you did. But here are yourfriends, or I mistake not. "

The coach came lumbering up, at a speed which for coaches in thosedays was wonderful, and as it stopped Colonel Holliday leapt out, sword in hand. 

"Is it all over?" he exclaimed. "Is Rupert hurt?"

"It is all over, sir; and I have not so much as a scratch, " Rupertsaid. 

"Sir, " the stranger said, uncovering, and making a courtly bow tothe old cavalier, and to Mistress Dorothy, who was looking from theopen door, "your son--"

"My grandson, " the colonel, who had also uncovered, corrected. 

"Your grandson arrived in time to save me from grievous peril. Mycoachman and lackey were shot at the first fire, and I fancy one ofthe horses. I disposed of one of the rascals, but four otherspressed me hard, while a fifth held a light to them. Your grandsonran one through in fair fight, and disarmed another; I disabled athird, and they ran. I have to thank him for my life; and, if youwill permit me to say so--and I have been many frays--no man everbore himself more coolly, or used his sword more skilfully, thandid this young gentleman. "

"I am very proud indeed to hear that the lad bore himself so well;although I own that he caused some anxiety to his mother andmyself; by rushing forward alone to join in a fray of whose extenthe knew nothing. However, all is well that ends well. 

"And now, sir, as your servants are killed, and but one horseremains to your carriage, will you permit me to offer you for thenight the hospitality of Windthorpe Chace? I am Colonel Holliday, sir, an old servant of King Charles the First--"

"I accept your offer, sir, as frankly as it is made. I have oftenheard your name. I, sir, am George Churchill. "

"The Earl of Marlborough!" exclaimed Colonel Holliday. 

"The same, " the earl said, with a smile. "I am not greatly loved, sir; but my name will, I am sure, do me no ill service with one ofthe men of Naseby. "

"No, indeed!" Colonel Holliday said, warmly; "it is at once apleasure and an honour to me to entertain so great a general at theChace. "

"And now, " the earl said, "a truce to compliments. Pray resume yourseat in the coach, sir. I will cut loose the horse from the coach, and will follow you in company with your grandson. "

Colonel Holliday in vain tried to persuade the earl to take hisplace in the carriage. 

The latter, however, firmly declined, and the colonel took hisplace in the coach, and drove off at once, to make preparation forthe reception of his guest. The earl had even declined the offer toleave one or both of the lackeys behind. And when the carriage haddriven off, he said to Rupert, who had stood looking withrespectful admiration at the greatest general of the age:

"Now, young sir, let us have a look at this carrion; maybe theirfaces will throw some light upon this affair. "

So saying, he took the torch which had been left burning, andturned over the body of the man he had slain before Rupert arrivedon the scene. 

"I do not know him, " he said, looking steadily at the dead man'sface. 

"I know him, " Rupert exclaimed in surprise. "He is a saddler ofDerby--a fierce nonconformist and whig, and a preacher atconventicles. And to think of his being a highwayman!"

"An assassin is a better term, " the earl said contemptuously. "Iguessed from their number it was my life, and not my money, thatthey sought. 

"Now let us look at the fellow you sent to his account. "

Rupert hung back as they approached the man he had killed. In thosedays of rebellions, executions, and duels, human life was regardedbut lightly. Still, to a lad of little over fifteen the thoughtthat he had killed a man, even if in fair fight, was very painful. 

"Ah, I thought so, " the earl said. "This is a creature of apolitical enemy. I have seen him in his antechamber. So the ordercame from London, and the tools were found here. That will do. Nowlet us get this horse out of the traces. It is some years since Ihave ridden barebacked. 

"No, I thank you, " in answer to Rupert's offer of his own horse; "asaddle matters not one way or the other. There, now for the Chace;and I shall not be sorry to fall to on the supper which, I doubtnot, the good gentleman your grandfather will have prepared. "

So saying, he vaulted on his horse, and with Rupert rode quietlyalong the road to the Chace. The great door opened as theyapproached, and four lackeys with torches came out. ColonelHolliday himself came down the steps and assisted the earl toalight, and led the way into the house. 

They now entered the drawing room, where Mistress Dorothy wasseated. She arose and made a deep courtesy, in answer to the evendeeper bow with which the earl greeted her. 

"My lord, " she said, "welcome to Windthorpe Chace. "

"Madam, " the earl said, bowing over the hand she extended, untilhis lips almost touched her fingers, "I am indeed indebted to thefellows who thought to do me harm, in that they have been the meansof my making the acquaintance of a lady whose charms turned allheads in London, and who left the court in gloom when she retiredto the country. "

Nowadays, such a speech as this would be thought to savour ofmockery, but gentlemen two hundred years since ordinarily addressedwomen in the language of high-flown compliment. 

Mistress Holliday, despite her thirty-seven years, was still verycomely, and she smiled as she replied:

"My lord, ten years' absence from court has rendered me unused tocompliments, and I will not venture to engage in a war, even ofwords, with so great a general. "

Supper was now announced, and the earl offered his hand to leadMistress Dorothy to the dining hall. 

The meal passed off quietly, the conversation turning entirely uponcountry matters. The earl did full justice to the fare, whichconsisted of a stuffed carp, fresh from the well-stocked ponds ofthe Chace, a boar's head, and larded capon, the two latter dishesbeing cold. With these were served tankards of Burgundy and ofsherries. Rupert, as was the custom of the younger members offamilies, waited upon the honoured guest. 

The meal over, Mistress Holliday rose. The earl offered her hishand and led her to the door, where, with an exchange ofceremonious salutes, she bade him goodnight. 

Then the earl accompanied Colonel Holliday to the latter's room, hung with rapiers, swords, and other arms. There ceremony was laidaside, and the old cavalier and the brilliant general entered intofamiliar talk, the former lighting a long pipe, of the kind knownat present as a "churchwarden. "

The earl told Colonel Holliday of the discovery that had been made, that the attack was no mere affair with highwaymen, but an attemptat assassination by a political rival. 

"I had been down, " he said, "at Lord Hadleigh's, where there was agathering of many gentlemen of our way of thinking. I left Londonquietly, and thought that none knew of my absence; but it is clearthat through some spy in my household my enemies learned both myjourney and destination. I came down on horseback, having sentforward relays. When I arrived last night at Hadleigh my horse wasdead lame. I misdoubt now 'twas lamed in the stable by one of themen who dogged me. Lord Hadleigh offered me his coach, to take meback the first stage--to the inn where I had left my servants andhad intended to sleep. I accepted--for in truth I sat up and talkedall last night, and thought to doze the journey away. YourDerbyshire roads are, however, too rough, and I was wide awake whenthe first shot was fired!"

"Do you think of taking steps to punish the authors of thisoutrage?" Colonel Holliday asked. 

"By no means, " the earl answered. "I would ask you to send over aman, with the horse I rode on and another, at daybreak. Let him putthem into the coach and drive back to Hadleigh, taking with him thebodies of the lackey and coachman. With him I will send a note tomy lord, asking that no stir be made in the matter. We need not setthe world talking as to my visit to his house; but lest anymagistrate stir in the matter, I will leave a letter for him, saying that the coach in which I travelled was attacked byhighwaymen, and that two of them, as well as the two servants, werekilled, and that no further inquisition need be made into thematter. You may be sure that the other side will say naught, andthey will likely enough go back and carry off their dead tonight, and bury them quietly. "

"Very well, sir, " Colonel Holliday said. "My grandson will rideover with you in the morning to Ashby-de-la-Zouche. Two well-armedlackeys shall accompany you. "

"Oh, there is no fear of another attempt, " the earl said, smiling. "Besides, your grandson and I could fight a whole troop ofcutthroats by daylight. What a swordsman that boy is! And as coolas a veteran! He is your pupil with the sword, I presume?"

"Only partly; he owes most of his skill to a French emigre, whocalls himself Monsieur Dessin, but who had, I suspect, a far highertitle across the water. He is a magnificent swordsman; and as I wasable to teach the lad a few thrusts which in their time did me goodservice, and the boy has a clear eye, a cool head, and a firmwrist, he can, young as he is, hold his own, go where he will. "

"What do you mean to do with him? You ought to make a soldier ofhim. It is the career of a gentleman, and we shall have a stirringcampaign on the Rhine next spring. He will have plenty ofopportunities to distinguish himself, and I need not say he willhave my best favour and protection!"

"I thank you heartily, " the colonel said, "and doubt not that oneday the lad may claim the fulfilment of your promise. At presenthis mother dreams of his being a Parliament man, and shining atcourt. But you might as well expect to teach a falcon to dance. Besides, the lad is a soldier heart and soul, and has, saving yourpresence, little of the whig in him; and his mother will find erelong, that if he goes to Parliament it will not be to vote as shewishes. 

"Besides, " he said, moodily, "I foresee changes here which he, young as he is, will not brook. If then at present I decline yourkind offer in his name, I think that the time is not far off whenhe may remind you of it. "

"Let him do so, " the earl said, "and a commission in horse, foot, or artillery is at his service. And now, with your permission, Iwill to bed, for my eyelids are consumedly heavy. "

Colonel Holliday rang a hand bell, and a lackey appeared withlighted candles. Preceded by him the old cavalier accompanied hisguest to the door of his apartment, and seeing that a posset cup ofspiced cordial was steaming on the table, and that everything elsewas properly prepared, left him to repose. 

Chapter 3: A Kiss and its Consequences. 

Three months have passed since the Earl of Marlborough's visit tothe Chace. Changes have taken place in England, for on the eighthof March King William died from the effects of a fall from hishorse, and the Princess Anne ascended the throne. After heraccession, one of her first steps had been to shower honour uponthe Earl of Marlborough. A whig cabinet was formed, of which he andLord Godolphin were the leading spirits, two tories however--Harleyand Saint John--having seats in the ministry. 

The Earl of Marlborough was her most trusted adviser. He had duringthe reign of the late monarch been always a firm friend of thePrincess Anne, and was at one time regarded almost as a tory. Hehad indeed plotted for the restoration of the Stuarts, and hadentered into negotiation with the French king for that purpose. Theplot having been discovered, he had with other noblemen been sentto the Tower, and had continued in disgrace until a year after thedeath of William. 

Anne appointed him one of her ministers, and made the duchess hermost intimate friend. In fact, in politics the Duke of Marlboroughtook no very strong part. He was attached to the Stuarts, for underthem he had at first risen to rank and honour; but he was a strongProtestant, and therefore in favour of the maintenance of the Actof Succession, fixing the reversion of the throne on the Elector ofHanover, who, although not the nearest in the line of succession, had been selected because the nearest heirs to the throne wereCatholics. 

At the Chace things have gone on as before. Rupert has worked hardat his lessons and his fencing, and Monsieur Dessin allows that, save for his extra length of reach, he should have no advantage nowover his pupil. In the afternoon the lad spent his time with hishawks, or practised firing with pistol or carbine, or roamed overthe country with Hugh. 

Nevertheless, things had somehow changed. Colonel Holliday hadbecome gloomy and silent; and although he and his daughter-in-lawwere studiously ceremonious and polite to each other, it was clearthat a cloud had risen between them. Rupert saw but little of this, however, and was surprised one day when, as he was going out for aride, his grandfather said to him gravely:

"Take a turn in the garden with me, Rupert. I want to have a talkwith you. 

"I think it well, Rupert, " he said, after walking for some time insilence, "to prepare you for what, if you have not guessed already, you will be told ere long. Madam will no doubt herself inform youof it; and it is as well, my lad, that you should be prepared, foryou might in your surprise say something hasty, and so cause abreach which it would take long to heal. "

Rupert looked in astonishment at his grandfather. He had not themost remote idea of what was coming. 

"You have doubtless noticed, " Colonel Holliday went on, "thefrequency of Sir William Brownlow's visits here?"

"Yes, sir, I have noticed that, but I do not often see him. I keepout of his way, for in truth I like him not, nor that son of his, who, on the strength of his three years' seniority, looks down uponme, and gives himself as many airs as madam my mother's peacock. "

"And you have never even thought why he comes here so frequently?"

"No, sir, " Rupert said, surprised; "it was no business of mine, andI gave no single thought to it. "

"He is a suitor for your lady mother's hand, " Colonel Hollidaysaid, gravely. 

"What!" almost shouted Rupert; "What, sir! He, with his sneeringface, dares to think--"

"My dear boy, he not only dares to think, but madam approves of thethought, and has promised him her hand. "

Rupert stood motionless. 

"It shall not be, " he burst out. "We must stop it, sir. Why do notyou?"

"I have no shadow of authority over Mistress Holliday, " the oldcolonel said. "As far as I could go, for your sake I havegone--farther, perhaps, than was wise. It has been a great blow forme, Rupert. I had hoped that in the time to come you would bemaster of the Chace, and of all the broad acres I owned when young;now it will never be. This house and the home farm are mine, andwill be yours, lad; but the outlying land will never come back tothe Chace again, but will go to swell the Haugh estate on the otherside. My lady can leave it as she likes. I have begged her to haveit settled upon you, but she has declined. She may have anotherfamily, and, infatuated as she is with her suitor, she is morelikely to leave it to them than to you, especially as I fear thatyou will not take kindly to the new arrangement. "

"I will not submit to it, sir; I will not have it. I will insulthim, and force him to fight me, " the lad gasped, his face whitewith passion. 

"No, Rupert, it won't do, lad. Were you four or five years olderyou might interfere; now he would laugh at you for a headstrongboy. You would gain his hate, and forfeit your mother's favourutterly. It was because I feared an outbreak like this that I toldyou today what you will in a few hours learn from her. "

"What is to be done?" Rupert said, despairingly. 

"Nothing, my boy. At her marriage, your mother will of course liveat the Haugh with Sir William. This house is mine, and if youcannot get on at the Haugh, it will be always open to you. "

"I will never set my foot inside the Haugh, " Rupert said, firmly. "My lady mother may leave her lands where she will; but if I am tohave them only at the price of being the humble servant of this newfather-in-law, I care not for them. He has an evil face, grandfather, and I hated him before I knew what he came for. "

"My boy, " Colonel Holliday said, "we have all many things to gothrough in life that we like not. This is your trial, and I trustthat you will come out of it worthily. Your respect and duty aredue to your mother. If you will not feign gladness that you do notfeel, I do not blame you; but when she tells you the news, answerher with that respect which you owe her. She has a clear right tochoose for herself. She is still a comely dame, and no one willblame her for taking another husband. To me and to you the thingmay seem hard, even unnatural, but it is not so. I like Sir Williamno more than you do. Report says that he has deeply dipped into hisestates over the dice box; and your lady mother's estates, and thesum that many years of quiet living has enabled her to save, aredoubtless items which he has not overlooked. "

Rupert remained for some time silent. 

"I will be perfectly respectful to my mother, " he said, "but I willnot disguise my feelings. If I did so at first, it would in the endbe useless, for Sir William I could never treat with respect. Sooner or later a quarrel would come, and I may therefore as wellhave it understood first as last. The estates I care for onlybecause they were part of the Chace, and I know that they willnever be mine if this match is made. You feel that yourself, do younot, sir?"

"Yes, " the colonel said, reluctantly, "I have felt that all along. "

"Very well, sir, " Rupert said; "in that case I have nothing to gainby affecting a satisfaction at this match. I shall respectfully butfirmly warn my mother against it, and tell her that if she persistsin it I will never put my foot under the roof of Sir WilliamBrownlow. "

The next morning the servant brought word to Rupert, that MistressHolliday wished to speak to him in her room. Knowing what wascoming, Rupert went with slow steps and a heavy heart to the littledrawing room which was known as madam's room. 

"Rupert, " she said, as he stood respectfully before her, "I havesent for you to tell you that I have accepted the offer of marriageof Sir William Brownlow. Sir William has much court influence, andwill be able to do you much service, and he has promised me to lookupon you as a son of his own. "

"Madam. " Rupert said, calmly and respectfully, "that you shouldmarry Sir William Brownlow is a matter as to which, alas! I have noright to say aught. I trust that the marriage will bring youhappiness, although my mind sorely misgives me as to whether itwill be so. As to myself, I decline Sir William's offer ofprotection. It is enough for me that my fathers have forgenerations owned Windthorpe Chace. Come what may, madam, I neitheracknowledge Sir William as my father, nor do I put a foot under hisroof. "

"Malapert boy!" Mistress Holliday said angrily, "this is theteaching of Colonel Holliday. "

"Pardon me, " Rupert said quietly. "Colonel Holliday begged me tosubmit to what could not be helped; but I declined. This man is notworthy of you, madam. Were you about to marry a good man, I wouldgladly receive him as my father. I should be glad to know when outin the world that you were cared for and happy; but this is not agood man. "

"Hush, sir, " Mistress Holliday said. "I will not suffer you tospeak thus. And know, Rupert, if you do not know it already, that Ihave absolute power over the estates of the Chace, and that if youdefy me I can leave them where I will. "

"I know it, madam, " Rupert said, sadly; "but this will in no wayalter my determination. If when you marry you give me yourpermission to remain here with my grandfather, I will do so. Ifnot, I will go forth into the world to seek my fortune. "

"Insolent boy!" Mistress Holliday said, furiously, "I have a mindto call the lackeys in and bid them beat you. "

"Madam, " Rupert said, drawing himself up and touching his swordlightly, "if you value your lackeys you will give no such order;for the first man, lackey or lord, who lays his hand on me, I wouldkill like a dog. With your permission, madam, I will retire, sincethis morning I take my dancing lesson. "

So saying, with a ceremonious bow Rupert left his mother'spresence. Monsieur Dessin and his daughter were already withColonel Holliday when Rupert joined them, and he went through hisdancing lesson as usual. Then Adele went as usual out into thegarden, and the fencing lesson began. When it was half over, Rupert's brow clouded angrily, for he heard horsemen ride up to thedoor, and felt sure who they were. 

"Steady, my dear pupil, steady, " Monsieur Dessin cried, as withknitted brow Rupert pressed him hotly, fancying at the moment thatSir William Brownlow stood in front of him. 

"Peste!" he exclaimed, as the lad lunged and touched him in thechest, "you are terrible, Monsieur!

"Colonel, " he went on, dropping his sword, "I resign my post. Ihave seen it coming for some time, and now it has arrived. Yourgrandson is more than a match for me. He has all my skill, some ofyours, and has besides an activity and suppleness greater, I think, than I ever had. You young islanders are trained to use hand andeye; and although French lads may have as much activity, they havefar less strength, far less aptitude for such exercises. Besides, there are other reasons. 

"Go, Monsieur Rupert, and take care of my daughter; I would talkwith monsieur your grandfather. "

Slowly, and brooding over the change which the late twenty-fourhours had made in his fortune, Rupert sought the garden. As hesauntered along the walks he heard a cry, and looking up saw Adelestruggling in the arms of James Brownlow, who was trying to kissher, while a young fellow his own age stood by laughing. Rupert'spent-up fury found a vent at last, and rushing forward, he struckthe aggressor so violent a blow between the eyes that, loosing hishold of Adele, he fell to the ground. 

"Thunder and lightning, " the other young man exclaimed, drawing hissword, "what means this, young cockerel?"

Rupert's sword flew from its sheath, but before he could cross it, James Brownlow sprang to his feet and crying to his friend, "Standback! I will spit the saucy knave!" rushed upon Rupert. 

The swords clashed, and almost simultaneously Brownlow's weaponflew far through the air. 

With a cry of fury he ran to fetch it, while his companion burstinto a coarse laugh. 

Rupert did not move from his position, but stood passive, until hisantagonist again rushed at him. 

"Mind this time, " Rupert said, between his teeth, "for I will killyou like a dog. "

Warned by the lesson, James Brownlow fought more carefully; but hewas too enraged to continue these tactics long, and after a shortbout he lunged furiously. Rupert turned aside the point andstraightened his arm, and his antagonist fell to the ground, runcompletely through the body. 

"You are a witness that I killed him in fair fight, " Rupert said, turning to the young man, who gazed stupefied at the body of hiscomrade, and then sheathing his sword bounded away to the stables. 

Hugh was there. 

"Quick, Hugh; saddle Ronald. I have just killed young Brownlow, andmust ride for it. "

Hugh stood for a moment astonished, and then calling a helper raninto the stables. In a minute he came out with two horses saddled. Without a word Rupert leapt on one, while he vaulted on the other, and the two dashed off at full speed. 

"Where are you going, Master Rupert?"

"To London, " Rupert said. "This is no place for me now. I killedhim in fair fight, and after warning; still, what with Sir Williamand my lady mother, there will be no stopping here. You had betterride back, Hugh, and tell my grandfather, privately, that I amgoing to the Earl of Marlborough, to ask him to give me thecornetcy he promised me. "

"With your leave, Master Rupert, I shall do nothing of the sort. Where you go, I go. My grandfather rode out with yours to Naseby, and died there. My people have been the tenants of the Chace aslong as the Hollidays have been its lords, and have always followedtheir master to the field. My old father would beat me out of thehouse with a broom handle, if I went back and said I had let you goto the wars alone. No, master Rupert, wherever you go, Hugh Parsonsgoes too. "

Rupert held out his hand, which his companion grasped, and the twogalloped rapidly along the road towards London. 

In the meantime all was consternation at the Chace. 

Colonel Holliday and Monsieur Dessin were deeply engaged inconversation when Adele burst in upon them. 

"Quick, quick!" she exclaimed, "Monsieur Rupert is fighting with awicked young man!"

"Then, " said Monsieur Dessin grimly, "it will be very bad for thewicked young man, whoever he is. "

"Where are they?" exclaimed Colonel Holliday. 

"In the garden, " the girl said, bursting into tears. "The wickedyoung man was rude to me, and wanted to kiss me, and MonsieurRupert knocked him down, and then they began to fight, and I ranaway. "

Monsieur Dessin swore a very deep oath in French, and was about tohurry out with Colonel Holliday. Then he stopped, and putting hishand on the colonel's shoulder, said coldly:

"Do not let us hurry, sir. Monsieur Rupert has taken the matter inhis hands. It is as well that he should kill this fellow as that Ishould have to do so. "

Just at this moment they reached the door, and a young man camerunning up to the house shouting:

"Young Mr. Brownlow is killed. Help! help!"

"I think, Monsieur Dessin, " Colonel Holliday said, stopping, "itwould be as well if you and mademoiselle were for the present toleave us. There will be trouble enough, and the fewer in it thebetter. Sir William is a hot man, and you are not a cool one. Enough mischief has been done. "

"You are right, " Monsieur Dessin said. "Will you tell MonsieurRupert that so long as my arm can lift a sword it is at hisservice, and that I am his debtor for life. 

"Come, Adele, let us leave by the front of the house. "

Colonel Holliday now hurried out into the garden, just as SirWilliam Brownlow, accompanied by his son's friend, rushed out ofthe house, followed by some lackeys with scared faces. 

Not a word was spoken as they ran to the spot where young Brownlowwas lying. 

Sir William and Colonel Holliday both knelt beside him, and thelatter put his finger to his pulse. 

"He is not dead, " he said, after a moment. "Ralph, saddle a horse, and ride with all speed to Derby for a doctor. "

"Ay, " Sir William said, "and tell the chief magistrate that he iswanted here, with one of his constables, for that murder has beendone. "

"You will do nothing of the sort, " Colonel Holliday said. 

"Sir William Brownlow, I make every excuse for you in your grief, but even from you I will permit no such word to be used. Your sonhas been wounded in fair fight, and whether he dies or not, altersthe circumstances no whit. My grandson found him engaged inoffering a gross insult to a young lady in the garden of my house. He did what I should have done had I so found him--he knocked himdown. They fought, and your son was worsted. I think, sir, that forthe credit of your house you had best be quiet over the matter. 

"Hush, sir, " he went on sternly, seeing that the baronet was aboutto answer furiously. "I am an old man, but I will put up withbluster from no man. "

Colonel Holliday's repute as a swordsman was well known, and SirWilliam Brownlow swallowed his passion in silence. A door was takenoff its hinges, and the insensible young man was carried into thehouse. There he was received by Mistress Holliday, who was vehementin her reproaches against Rupert, and even against ColonelHolliday, who had, as she said, encouraged him in brawling. 

The colonel bent quietly before the storm; and leaving the woundedman in the care of his daughter-in-law and the attendants, made hisway to the stables, to inquire what had become of Rupert. There hefound that a few minutes before, Rupert, accompanied by HughParsons, had ridden off at full speed, having placed valises and abrace of pistols in the holsters on their saddles. The colonel wasglad to hear that Rupert had his humble friend with him, anddoubted not that he had made for London. With a somewhat lightenedheart he went back to the house. 

After galloping fast for the first two miles, Rupert drew rein, forhe had now time to think, and was assured that even should SirWilliam at once send into Derby for a warrant for his apprehension, he would be across the borders of the county long before he couldbe overtaken. 

"Have you any money with you, Hugh?" he asked, suddenly; "for Ihave not a penny with me. "

"I have only two shillings, Master Rupert. I got that yesterday inDerby for a nest of young owlets I found in the copse. "

Rupert reined up his horse in dismay. 

"Two shillings between us, Hugh! And it is 126 miles to London. What are we to do?"

Hugh thought a moment. "We can't go on with that, sir. Do you takethese two shillings and ride on to the Red Dragon. You will beoutside the county there. I will ride back to father's. It's undertwo miles, and I shall be back here in half-an-hour again. He willgive me any money he may have in the house. I may as well fill myvalise too, while I am about it; and he's got a pair of pistols, too, that he will give me. "

It was clearly the best course to take, and Rupert trotted forwardon his way, while Hugh galloped back at full speed. In a quarter ofan hour the latter drew rein at his father's door. 

"Hullo, Hugh, lad, " the farmer, a hearty man of some fifty years of age, said, as he came to the door, "be'est thou? What art doing on thesquire's horse? He looks as if thou had ridden him unmercifully, surely?"

In a few words Hugh related what had taken place, and told him ofhis own offer to go to the wars with Rupert. 

"That's right, lad; that's right and proper. It's according to thenature of things that when a Holliday rides to the war a Parsonsshould ride behind him. It's always been so, and will always be so, I hope. Mother will grieve, no doubt; but she won't want to fly inthe face of nature. 

"Here, mother, come out. Master Rupert's killed Sir WilliamBrownlow's son, and is off to the wars, and so our Hugh's, natural-like, going with him. "

Mrs. Parsons after her first ejaculation of surprise burst intotears, but, as her husband had predicted, offered no objectionwhatever to what seemed to her, as to him, a matter of plain dutyon the part of her son. Hugh now explained the reason of hisreturn. 

"Ay, ay, lad; thou shalt have the money. I've got fifty pounds fornext quarter's rent. Colonel Holliday will be glad enough for someof it to go to his grandson. I'll gin ye half o't, Hugh, and takemy chance of the colonel agreeing to it. I'll give'e as much moreout of my old stocking upstairs. Put it carefully by, lad. Money isas useful in war as at other times, and pay ain't always regular;maybe the time may come when the young master may be short ofmoney, and it may come in useful. Now put on thy riding coat; andmother will put thy best clothes in a valise. 

"Bustle up, mother, there bain't no time to lose. "

Thus addressed, Mrs. Parsons dried her tears and hurried away. Hugh, hitching the bridle over a hook, made his way to his room tochange his clothes. When he came down, all was ready. 

"Thy clothes are in the valise, Hugh. I have put on the holsters, and the pistols are in them. They are loaded, boy. In the bottom ofone are the master's twenty-five pounds. Thy own money is in thevalise. Here, boy, is my father's sword; it hasn't been used sinceNaseby, but it's a good blade. Thou art a deft hand at quarterstaffand singlestick, though, and I doubt not that thy hands can guardthy head. I need not say, Hugh Parsons, you will, if need be, diefor thy master, for I know thou will do it, lad. Now kiss thymother, boy; and God speed you. "

A long embrace with his father and mother, and then Hugh, blindedby his tears, mounted his horse, and rode off in the track ofRupert. 

After an hour's sharp riding he overtook him, at a wayside inn, just across the boundary between Derby and Leicestershire. 

"Is it all right, Hugh?" he asked, as Hugh drew up at the door. 

"All right, Master Rupert. Father has sent thee twenty-five poundsout of the rent that will be due at Lady day; and he doubts notthat the colonel will approve of what he has done. H ow long haveyou been here?"

"Only some five minutes, Hugh. We had best let the horses feed, andthen ride quietly into Leicester, it's only fifteen miles away. Isee you've got a sword. "

"A sword and pistols, Master Rupert; and as you have the same, methinks any highwayman chaps we might meet would think twice erethey venture to cry 'Stand and deliver. '"

"You heard no word of whether James Brownlow was alive or dead, Hugh? I should be very glad to hear that he is not killed. "

"No word of the matter had come to the farm when I came away, " Hughsaid; "but I should not worry about it one way or the other, MasterRupert. You'll kill lots more when you get to the wars; and thecountry won't grieve over James Brownlow. Young as he was, he was abad one; I've heard more than one dark story whispered of him. Folks say he took after his father, who was as wild and as bad asany man in Derbyshire when he was young. "

Chapter 4: The Sedan Chair. 

"This is our last stage, Hugh, and tonight we shall be in London, "Rupert said, as they rode out of Watford. "Methinks we shall findit very strange in that great city. I am glad I thought of askingour host the name of an inn at which to put up. The Bell inBishopsgate Street, he said. It will seem less strange asking theway there than it would be to be wandering about gazing for a placeat which to alight. "

"Ay, truly, Master Rupert; and I've heard say those London folk aremain fond of making game of strangers. "

"So I have heard, Hugh; any reasonable jest we had best put up withwith good temper. If they push it too far, we shall be able, Idoubt not, to hold our own. The first thing to do will be to getclothes of the cut in vogue, for I have come away just as I stood;and I fear that even your clothes will have a marvellously countryair about them in the eyes of the city folk. 

"There is London, " he said, as they passed over the crest ofHampstead Hill. "That great round dome that stands up so high mustbe Saint Paul's; and look how many other church towers and spiresthere are. And there, away to the right, those must be the towersof Westminster. "

"It is a big place, surely, Master Rupert. How many people do youthink live there?"

"I believe there are near 300, 000 souls there, Hugh. It seemswonderful, does it not?"

"It's too big to think of, Master Rupert, " Hugh said, and theycontinued their journey southward. 

They entered the city at Aldersgate, but they had ridden somedistance through houses before they arrived at the boundary, forthe city was already spreading beyond its ancient limits. Onceinside the walls, the lads were astonished at the bustle and noise. 

Hugh inquired the way to Bishopsgate Street of a respectablecitizen, who directed them to follow the road until they came to abroad turning to their left. This would be Chepeside, and they wereto follow this until they came to the Exchange, a large buildingstraight in front of them. Passing this, they would find themselvesin Bishopsgate Street. 

If Aldersgate Street had surprised them, much more were theyastonished at the din and turmoil of Chepeside, and Hugh, havingtwice narrowly escaped riding over a citizen, and being soundlyrated for a country gawk, Rupert turned to him. 

"Look at your horse's head, Hugh, and pay no attention to aughtelse. When we have reached our destination, we shall have plenty oftime to look at all these wonders. "

The advice was good, and without mischance they reached the Bell inBishopsgate Street, and rode into the yard. The host at once cameout, and after a momentary look of surprise at the youth of the newarrivals, he asked Rupert courteously if he needed a room. 

"Two rooms if it please you, " Rupert said, "and together. "

The host called a hostler, who at once took charge of the horses, and led them to the stable, the lads first removing the valises andholsters, which a servant carried up to their rooms. 

"We would have supper, " Rupert said; "and while that is preparingwe would, if it is not too late, order some clothes more in themode than these. Can you direct us to a tailor?"

"You cannot do better, " the landlord said, "than visit myneighbour, Master John Haliford. His shop is just opposite, and hemakes for many of our best city folk, and for more than one of thegentry of the Court. "

Rupert thanked him, and they crossed the street to the shopindicated. 

The landlord looked after them with a puzzled air. 

"It is not often that Joe Miles cannot guess the quality and errandof his guests, but this time he is floored. Has that young sparkrun away from home? I hardly think so, for he speaks gravely, andwithout haste; lads who have run away may generally be known bytheir speaking in a hurry, and as if anxious. They are both wellmounted; the younger is clearly of the higher estate, although butmeanly dressed; nor does the other seem like his lackey. What arethey talking about outside neighbour Haliford's shop, I wonder? Iwould give a silver penny to know. I will walk over presently, andsmoke a pipe with him, and hear what he thinks of them. "

The conversation which the host of the Bell had wished he couldoverhear was as follows:

Hugh began it. 

"Look, Master Rupert, before we go into the shop, let us talk overwhat you are going to order. "

"I am going to order a walking suit, Hugh, and a court suit formyself, and a suit for you. "

"Yes, but what sort of a suit, Master Rupert?"

"I should say a walking suit, Hugh, such as would become a modestcitizen. "

"That's just it, Master Rupert. So far you have treated me as afriend; but now, sir, it must be different, for to do so any longerwould not be seemly. You are going to be an officer. I am going tofollow you as a trooper; but till we go to the war I must bedressed as your retainer. Not a lackey, perhaps, but a sort ofconfidential retainer. That will be best, Master Rupert, in everyway. "

Rupert was silent for a moment. 

"Well, Hugh, perhaps that would be best; but you must remember thatwhatever we are before others, we are always friends when we arealone. "

"Very well, " Hugh said, "that is understood; but you know thatalone or before others, I shall always be your faithful servant. "

"What can I make you, sir?" the tailor asked, as the lads enteredhis shop. 

Master Haliford was a small man; neat in his dress; a little fussyin manner. He was very upright, and seemed to look under ratherthan through the pair of horn spectacles which he wore. His lookchanged from affability to doubt as he took a nearer look at hisintending customers. 

"I need a suit such as a gentleman might wear at court, " Rupertsaid, quietly, "and a walking or ordinary suit for myself; and asuit such as would be worn by a trusted retainer for my friendhere. "

The tailor put his head on one side, and rubbed his chinthoughtfully. 

"Have I had the honour of being recommended to you by thehonourable gentleman your father?" he asked. 

"No, indeed, " Rupert said. "It was mine host at the Bell, whoadvised me that I could not do better than come to your shop. "

"Ah, you are known to him, beyond doubt, " John Haliford said, brightening. 

"No, indeed, " Rupert answered. "He was a stranger to me to withinfive minutes back. "

"You must excuse my caution, young sir, " John Haliford said, afteranother minute's reflection; "but it is the custom of us Londontradesmen with those gentlemen who may honour us with their custom, and whom we have not the honour of knowing, to require payment, orat least a portion of payment, at the time of giving the order, andthe rest at the time of delivery of the goods. In your case, sir, Iam sure, an unnecessary piece of caution, but a rule from which Inever venture to go. "

"That is only fair and right, " Rupert said. "I will pay half now, and the other half when the garments are completed; or if it pleaseyou, will pay the whole in advance. "

"By no means, by no means, " the tailor said with alacrity; "onethird in advance is my rule, sir. And now, sir, what colour andmaterial do you affect?"

"As sober both in hue and in material as may be, " Rupert said, "andyet sufficiently in the fashion for me to wear in calling upon anobleman of the court. "

"Pardon me, " the tailor said, "but perhaps you would condescend totake me into your confidence. There are noblemen, and noblemen. Atory lord, for instance, is generally a little richer in his colourthan a whig nobleman, for these affect a certain sobriety of air. With some again, a certain military cut is permitted, while withothers this would be altogether out of place. "

"I am going to the Earl of Marlborough, " Rupert said briefly. 

"Dear me, dear me! Indeed now!" the little tailor said with aninstant and great accession of deference, for the Earl ofMarlborough was the greatest man in the realm. "Had your honourmentioned that at first, I should not have ventured to hint at theneed for previous payment. "

"What!" Rupert said, with a smile. "You would have broken yourfixed rule! Surely not, Master Haliford. "

The tailor looked sharply at his young customer. Whoever he mightbe, he was clearly no fool; and without more ado he brought forwardhis patterns and bent himself to the work in hand. 

Having chosen the colours and stuffs for the suits of clothes, thelads returned to the Bell, where a supper of cold chicken and theremains of a fine sirloin awaited them, with two tankards ofhome-brewed ale. The next morning, before sallying out to see thetown, Rupert wrote to his grandfather, asking his pardon forrunning away, expressing his intention of applying to the Earl ofMarlborough for a cornetcy of horse, and giving his address at theBell; asking him also to make his humble excuse to his lady mother, and to assure her of his devotion and respect, althoughcircumstances had caused his apparent disobedience to her wishes. 

Although there was a much greater amount of filial respect andobedience expressed in those days than now, human nature hasdiffered but slightly in different ages of the world; and it isprobable that sons went their own way quite as much as they do now, when there is very little talk either of obedience or respect. Indeed, the implicit obedience, and almost servile respect, whichour forefathers expected from their sons, could not but in a greatnumber of cases drive the sons to be hypocrites as well asundutiful; and our modern system of making our boys companions andfriends, of taking an interest in all they do, and in teaching themto regard us as their natural advisers, has produced a generationof boys less outwardly respectful, no doubt, but as dutiful, andfar more frank and truthful than those of the bygone times. 

Rupert, finding that few of the citizens wore swords, and feelingthat in his present attire he would attract attention by so doing, left his sword at the inn, and bought for Hugh and himself a coupleof stout sticks--Hugh's a cudgel which would be useful in a handwell accustomed to singlestick, his own a cane of a wood such as hehad never before seen--light, strong, and stiff. He chose itbecause it was well balanced in the hand. Then they sallied outinto Cornhill, past the Exchange, erected by the worshipful citizenSir Thomas Gresham, and then into Chepeside, where they wereastonished at the wealth and variety of the wares displayed in theshops. Gazing into the windows, they frequently got into the way, and were saluted many times with the query, "Where are you going, stupids?" a question which Hugh was largely inclined to resent, andwould have done so had not Rupert told him that evidently they didget into the way of the hurrying citizens, and that it was morewise to put up with rudeness than to embark in a series ofquarrels, in which, moreover, as strangers they were likely to getthe worst of the dispute. Saint Paul's Cathedral, then but newlyfinished, astonished them vastly with its size and magnificence, and they returned to the midday dinner at the Bell delighted withall that they had seen. 

Asking the landlord how he would recommend them to pass theafternoon, he said that they could do no better than take a boat atLondon Bridge, and be rowed up to the village of Chelsea, wheremany of the nobility did dwell, and then coming back to Westminstermight get out there, see the Abbey and the great Hall, and thenwalk back along the Strand. 

The lads followed the advice, and were soon delighted and surprisedwith the great river, then pure and limpid, and covered with boatsproceeding rapidly in all directions, for it was at that time thegreat highway of London. Tide was flowing and the river nearlyfull, and having given their waterman the intimation that time didnot press, he rowed them very gently along in the centre of thestream, pointing out to them, when they had passed above the limitsof the city, the various noblemen's houses scattered along thebanks of the river. Off Westminster the waterman ceased rowing, toallow them to view the grand old Abbey; and then as they went onagain, they marvelled at the contrast of the low, deserted marshesof Lambeth and Bankside, which contrasted so strongly with themagnificence and the life they had left behind. 

At Chelsea they admired the grand palace for the reception of oldsoldiers, and then--for the tide was turning now--floated back toWestminster. So long were they in going round the Abbey, andexamining the tombs of the kings, that it was getting dark whenthey started eastward again, up past the Palace of Whitehall, andthen along the Strand. Already the distance between the city andWestminster was connected with houses, and the junction of the twocities had fairly taken place. 

Dim oil lamps were lighted here and there as they went along, footpassengers bore lanterns to enable them to pick their way acrossrough places, and link men carried torches in front of sedanchairs, in which ladies were being taken to fashionableentertainments, which then commenced at six o'clock. 

All this was new and amusing to the boys; and having gone into atavern near the Abbey, and partaken of some refreshment, they werenot pressed for time; and it was near eight before they seriouslythought of proceeding towards the city. 

When a few hundred yards from Temple Bar, they heard a shouting anda scream down one of the streets leading to the river. The streetwas deserted, but down at the farther end they could see the flashof sword blades, in the light of an oil lamp. 

"Come along, Hugh; that is a woman's scream. "

"Better not interfere, Master Rupert, " Hugh said. 

But Rupert had already darted off, and Hugh without a moment'shesitation followed in his steps. 

At the end of the street they came upon a sedan chair. The twoporters stood surlily against the wall, menaced by the drawn swordsof two men standing over them; while two other men--evidently ofhigher rank, but enveloped in cloaks--were forcibly dragging a ladyfrom the chair. They had thrown a cloak over her head to drown hercries. 

As the lads came up, one of the men uttered a furious oath. 

"Rolf, Simon! leave those fellows and keep these springalls back. They are but boys. I will whistle when I am in the boat. 

"Now, mistress!" and he began to carry the lady away. 

As the lads arrived, the servitors--for such they were by theirappearance--leaving the chairmen, turned upon them. One of thechairmen at once ran off as fast as his legs could carry him; butthe other, a sturdy fellow, leaped on the back of the man who hadbeen guarding him, as the latter turned upon Rupert. Hugh wasattacked by the other. 

"Be careful, Hugh! keep out of reach of his point, " Rupert cried;and darting past, he struck the man who had hold of the lady asharp blow across the ankle, which brought him instantly to theground with his burden. 

The other gentleman drew his sword, and rushed upon Rupert. It wasfortunate for the latter that he had chosen his stick for lightnessand balance, for it moved as quickly and easily as a foil. Withouta thought of guarding, his assailant rushed at him to run himthrough; but Rupert parried the thrust, and in turn drove the endof his stick, with all his force, into his opponent's stomach. Theman instantaneously doubled up with a low cry, and fell on theground. 

Then the other man, who had by this time risen to his feet, in turnrushed furiously at Rupert. A few times the sword and stick scrapedand rasped against each other, and then Rupert lunged full at theother's face. 

There was a loud cry, an oath, and then, as the sound of the watchrunning down the street, led by the chairman who had run away, washeard, the man took to his feet and fled. The lackey who hadengaged Hugh, and who had in vain endeavoured to get to closequarters with the lad, imitated his example; but the prostrate manon the ground, and the fellow held by the chairman, were seized bythe watch. 

Rupert turned to the young lady, who, having now disencumberedherself of the folds of the cloak over her head, was leaning, halffainting, against the chair. 

Taking off his hat and bowing deeply, he expressed his hope thatshe had suffered no harm through the unmannerly assault upon her. 

"I thank you greatly, sir, " she said, speaking with a slightlyforeign accent. "I am unhurt, although somewhat breathless. I oweyou my deep gratitude for rescue from these evil-minded men. "

"What may be your name, mistress?" one of the watch asked. "Youwill be needed tomorrow to testify against these men. "

"My name is Maria Von Duyk, and I reside at present with the worthyalderman, Peter Hawkins, to whom I was returning in the chair, asthe chairmen will tell you, after a visit to Mistress Vanloct, whose house we had just left when molested. "

"And yours, young sir?" the watchman asked. 

"My name is Rupert Holliday. I am staying at the Bell, inBishopsgate Street. "

"You will both have to be present tomorrow morning before theworshipful magistrate Master Forman, at Westminster. "

The watch now secured the man on the ground, who was recoveringfrom the effect of the violent thrust in the stomach, and puttinghandcuffs on him and the other, led them away. 

"You will permit me, I trust, to escort you to your door, " Rupertsaid, as he ceremoniously handed the young lady into her chair. 

"Yes, indeed, sir; and I trust that you will enter, and allow DameHawkins to add her thanks to mine. "

Rupert bowed, and the chair being closed the chairmen lifted it, and with Rupert and Hugh following, proceeded eastward. 

When they arrived at the house of Alderman Hawkins, in LawrencePulteney, the young lady on alighting begged Rupert to enter; butthe latter excused himself on account of the hour, but said that hewould call next morning, and would, if allowed, accompany her andthe alderman to give evidence as to the assault. 

On arriving next morning, Rupert was overwhelmed with thanks by thealderman, his wife, and Mistress Maria Von Duyk, all of whom weremuch surprised at his youth, for in the dim light of the precedingevening the young lady had not perceived that her rescuer was amere lad. 

Rupert found that there was no occasion to go before themagistrate, for the alderman having sent down early to the watchhouse to inquire at what hour their presence would be required, found that the prisoners had been rescued, on their way to thewatch house, by a party of armed men. 

"We are, " the alderman said, "well aware who was the leader of theassailants, the man who escaped. Sir Richard Fulke is a ruinedgamester, and is a distant relation of Dame Vanloct, whom my youngfriend was yesterday visiting. Knowing the wealth of Mistress VonDuyk's good father, he has sought to mend his ruined fortune by amatch with her. At the urgent request of Mistress Von Duyk I wroteto him, saying that his attentions were unpleasing to her, and thatthey must be discontinued, or that she could no longer visit atDame Vanloct's where she usually had met him. This was a weeksince. He replied courteously, regretting that the deep devotion hefelt was unrequited, but withdrawing from the undertaking of tryingto win her, and promising that henceforth she should be no longertroubled with his presence when she visited Dame Vanloct. This wasof course done to lull our suspicion. When the chair was stoppedyesterday, Maria at once recognized his voice. As they dragged herfrom the chair, he said:

"'Quick! hurry her down to the boat. '

"There is no doubt upon my mind that he intended to carry her off, and to compel her to marry him. I bethought me at first of applyingto the secretary of state for a warrant for his arrest to answerfor this outrage, but Mistress Maria leaves us tomorrow forHolland, and the process would delay her departure, and would causea scandal and talk very unpleasant to herself, and which wouldgreatly offend my good friend her father. Had the men in custodybeen brought up this morning, there would have been no choice butto have carried the matter through. It was then a relief to us tofind that they had escaped. I have told you this, young sir, asyour due after having rescued Mistress Von Duyk from so great aperil. Now, as to yourself, believe me if my friendship andassistance can in any way advantage you, they are at your service. Even of your name I am yet in ignorance. "

Rupert thanked the worthy alderman, and then stated that he was thegrandson of Colonel Holliday, of Windthorpe Chace, in Derbyshire, and had come up to London to wait upon the Earl of Marlborough, whohad promised him his protection and a cornetcy in a regiment ofhorse for service in Holland. 

"In that case, sir, " Mistress Von Duyk said, "it is like you maycome to Dort. If so, believe me that my father, whom I shall tellhow much we are indebted to you, will not be backward inmanifesting his gratitude for the great service that you haverendered to his daughter. "

"How were you thinking of passing the day?" the alderman asked. 

"I had no plan, " Rupert said. "In truth, I am waiting to call uponthe Earl of Marlborough until Master Haliford has fashioned me asuit of clothes fitted for such an occasion; he has promised themfor this evening. "

"Would it please you to go down the river? I have a boat, and ifyou would like to see the shipping of this great port, and thepalace at Greenwich for our seamen, my boatmen will take you down;and you will, I trust, return and take your midday meal with us. "

And so it was arranged; and as Rupert and Hugh were rowed down theriver, lost in wonder at the numerous craft that lay there, Hughadmitted that Rupert's interference in a business which was noconcern of his had turned out a fortunate occurrence. 

Chapter 5: The Fencing School. 

It was with no small trepidation that Rupert Holliday ascended thesteps of the Earl of Marlborough's residence in Pall Mall. Hughaccompanied him thus far and stopped at the door, outside which, inthe courtyard and in the hall, were standing many lackeys who hadattended their masters. Rupert felt very young, and the somewhatsurprised looks of the servants in the hall at his appearance addedto his feeling of youth. He was shown into an antechamber, where anumber of officers of all ranks, of courtiers, and politicians, were assembled, talking in groups. Rupert felt alone anduncomfortable among this crowd of distinguished men, none of whomdid he know, and no one paid the smallest attention to him. He hadon entering written his name down in a book in the hall, whence itwould be taken in with others to the great man. 

Presently an officer in general's uniform came out from an innerroom, and an instant afterwards the earl himself appeared. Not onlywas John Churchill one of the most handsome men in Europe, but hewas the most courtly and winning in manner; and Rupert, shrinkingback from observation, watched with admiration as he moved roundthe room, stopping to say a few words here, shaking hands there, listening to a short urgent person, giving an answer to a petition, before presented, by another, giving pleasure and satisfactionwherever he moved. 

Rupert saw, however, that even while speaking his eye was wanderinground the room, and directly he perceived him he walked straighttowards him, those standing between falling back as he advanced. 

"Ah, my young friend, " he said warmly, holding out his hand toRupert, "I was expecting you. 

"Sir John Loveday, Lord Fairholm, " he said, turning to two younggentlemen near, "let me present to you Master Rupert Holliday, grandson of Colonel Holliday, one of the bravest of our cavaliers, and who I can guarantee has inherited the skill and courage of hisgrandfather. He will make the campaign in Holland with you, gentlemen, for his commission has been made out today in herMajesty's fifth regiment of dragoons. 

"I will speak to you more, presently, Rupert. "

So saying, the earl moved away among his visitors, leaving Rupertflushed with pleasure and confusion. The young gentlemen to whomthe earl had introduced him, much surprised at the flatteringmanner in which the great general had spoken of the lad beforethem, at once entered into conversation with him, and hearing thathe was but newly come to London, offered to show him the variousplaces where men of fashion resorted, and begged him to considerthem at his disposal. Rupert, who had been carefully instructed byhis grandfather in courtly expression and manner, returned manythanks to the gentlemen for their obliging offers, of which, afterhe had again spoken to the earl, and knew what commands he wouldlay upon him, he would thankfully avail himself. 

It was nearly an hour before the Earl of Marlborough had made theround of the antechamber, but the time passed quickly to Rupert. The room was full of men whose names were prominent in the historyof the time, and these Sir John Loveday, and Lord Fairholm, whowere lively young men, twenty-two or twenty-three years old, pointed out to him, often telling him a merry story or some drolljest regarding them. There was Saint John, handsome, but delicatelooking, with a half sneer on his face, and dressed in theextremity of fashion, with a coat of peach-coloured velvet withimmense cuffs, crimson leather shoes with diamond buckles; hissword was also diamond hilted, his hands were almost hidden in laceruffles, and he wore his hair in ringlets of some twenty inches inlength, tied behind with a red ribbon. The tall man, with a haughtybut irritable face, in the scarlet uniform of a general officer, was the Earl of Peterborough. There too were Godolphin and Orford, both leading members of the cabinet; the Earl of Sutherland, theDukes of Devonshire and Newcastle, Lord Nottingham, and manyothers. 

At last the audience was over, and the minister, bowing to all, withdrew, and the visitors began to leave. A lackey came up toRupert and requested him to follow him; and bidding adieu to hisnew friends, who both gave him their addresses and begged him tocall up on them, he followed the servant into the hall and upstairsinto a cosy room, such as would now be called a boudoir. Therestood the Earl of Marlborough, by the chair in which a lady ofgreat beauty and commanding air was sitting. 

"Sarah, " he said, "this is my young friend, Rupert Holliday, who asyou know did me good service in the midlands. "

The countess held out her hand kindly to Rupert, and he bent overit and touched it with his lips. 

"You must remember you are my friend as well as my husband's, " shesaid. "He tells me you saved his life; and although I can scarcecredit the tale, seeing how young you are, yet courage and skilldwell not necessarily in great bodies. Truly, Master Holliday, I amdeeply indebted to you; and Sarah Churchill is true in herfriendships. "

"As in her hates, eh?" laughed the earl. 

Between the Earl of Marlborough and his wife there existed nocommon affection. They were passionately attached to each other;and the earl's letters show that at all times, even when in thefield surrounded by difficulties, harassed by opposition, menacedwith destruction by superior forces, his thoughts were turnedaffectionately towards her, and he was ever wishing that the warwould end that he might return to her side. She on her part wasequally attached to him, but much as she strove to add to his powerand to forward his plans, her haughty and violent temper was themain cause of the unmerited disgrace into which he fell with hisroyal mistress, who owed so much to him personally, and whose reignhe did so much to render a brilliant and successful one. At thepresent time, however, she stood upon the footing of the closestintimacy and affection with Queen Anne. 

The earl then introduced Rupert to those other ladies who werepresent; the eldest, his daughter Lady Harriet, recently married toMr. Godolphin; the second, Anne, married to Lord Spencer; and thetwo daughters still unmarried, aged sixteen and seventeenrespectively. 

Rupert was so confused with the earl's kindness that he haddifficulty in finding words, but he made a great effort, andexpressed in proper set terms his thankfulness to the countess forher great kindness to him, and of his own want of deserts. 

"There, " the countess said, "that will do very nicely and prettily;and now put it aside until we are in public, and talk in your ownnatural way. So you have been fighting again, have you, andwell-nigh killing young Master Brownlow?"

Rupert was completely astounded at this address; and the earl said, laughing:

"I told you that I expected you. The worthy colonel yourgrandfather wrote me a letter, which I received this morning, telling me the incident which had taken place, and your suddendisappearance, stating that he doubted not you had made for London, and begging--which indeed was in no way necessary--my protection onyour behalf. "

"Did my grandfather say, sir, " Rupert asked anxiously, "aught ofthe state of Master Brownlow?"

"Yes; he said that the leech had strong hopes that he wouldrecover. "

"I am indeed glad of that, " Rupert said; "for I had no ill will tohim. "

"We must be careful of you, Master Holliday, " the countess said;"for if you go on like this you will much diminish the number ofthe queen's subjects. "

"I can assure your grace, " Rupert said earnestly, "that I am nobrawler, and am not quarrelsome by nature, and that the thought ofshedding blood, except of the foes of my country in battle, painsme much. "

"I'll warrant me you are the mildest-tempered boy alive, " the earlsaid. "Now tell me frankly: you have been in London someforty-eight hours; have you passed that time without getting into afray or quarrel of any kind?"

Rupert turned scarlet with confusion. 

"His looks betray him, " the earl laughed. "Look, girls, at themild-tempered young gentleman. 

"Now, out with it. How was it?"

Thus exhorted, Rupert very stammeringly gave an account of the frayin which he had been engaged. 

"Von Duyk!" the earl said. "She must be a daughter of the greatmerchant of Dort--a useful friend to have made, maybe, MasterHolliday; and it may be that your adventure may even be of serviceto the state. Never speak now, Master Rupert, of your peacefulintentions. You take after your namesake, the Prince, and are averitable knight errant of adventure. The sooner I have you over inHolland fighting the queen's enemies, and not the queen's subjects, the better. 

"Now tell me, where have you taken up your abode?"

"At the Bell, at Bishopsgate Street, " Rupert answered. 

"And your follower, for I know one accompanied you; where is he?"

"He waits without, sir. "

The earl touched a hand bell. 

"Fetch in Master Holliday's retainer; you will find him without. Make him at home in the servant's hall. Send a messenger down tothe Bell at Bishopsgate, fetch hither the mails of Master Holliday;he will remain as my guest at present. "

Rupert now entered upon a life very different to that which he hadled hitherto. He received a letter from Colonel Holliday, enclosingan order on a London banker for fifty pounds, and he was soonprovided with suits of clothes fit for balls and other occasions. Wherever the earl went, Rupert accompanied him as one of hispersonal followers; and the frank, straightforward manners of thelad pleased the ladies of the court, and thus "Little Holliday, " ashe was called, soon became a great favourite. 

It was about a fortnight after his arrival in town that, for thefirst time, he accompanied his friends Sir John Loveday and LordFairholm to the fencing school of Maitre Dalboy, the great fencingmaster of the day. Rupert had been looking forward much to thisvisit, as he was anxious to see what was the degree of proficiencyof the young court gallants in the art which he so much loved. 

Maitre Dalboy's school was a fashionable lounge of the young men ofthe court and army. It was a large and lofty room, and some sixassistants were in the act of giving instructions to beginners, orof fencing with more advanced students, when the trio entered. Maitre Dalboy himself came up to greet them, for both Rupert'sfriends had been his pupils. 

"You are strangers, " he said reproachfully. "How are your musclesto keep in good order, and your eye true, if you do not practise?It is heart rending! I take every pains to turn out accomplishedswordsmen; and no sooner have my pupils learned something of thebusiness, than they begin to forget it. "

"We shall begin to put your teaching into effect before long, Maitre Dalboy, " Sir John Loveday said, with a smile, "for we aregoing over to join the army in Holland in a few weeks, and we shallthen have an opportunity of trying the utility of the parries youhave taught us. "

"It is too bad, " the Frenchman said, shrugging his shoulders, "thatmy pupils should use the science I have taught them against mycountrymen; but what would you have? It is the fortune of war. Isthis young gentleman a new pupil that you have brought me?"

"No, indeed, " Lord Fairholm said; "this is Master Rupert Holliday, a cornet in the 5th regiment of dragoons, who is also about tostart for Holland. "

"I have had the advantage of learning from a countryman of yours, Monsieur Dalboy, " Rupert said, "a Monsieur Dessin, who is goodenough to teach the noble art in the town of Derby. "

"Dessin! Dessin!" Maitre Dalboy said, thoughtfully "I do notremember the name among our maitres d'escrime. "

"The Earl of Marlborough himself vouches for the skill of MasterHolliday with the sword. His grandfather, Colonel Holliday, was, Ibelieve, noted as one of the finest blades at the court of SaintGermains. "

"I have heard of him, " Monsieur Dalboy said, with interest. "Let methink; he wounded the Marquis de Beauchamp, who was considered oneof the best swordsmen in France. Yes, yes, his fame as a swordsmanis still remembered. And he is alive yet?"

"Alive and active, " Rupert said; "and although, as he says himself, he has lost some of his quickness of reposte, there are, MonsieurDessin says, few fencers who could even now treat him lightly. "

"And you have had the benefit of his instruction as well as that ofmy countryman?" Monsieur Dalboy asked. 

"Yes, " Rupert said, "my grandfather, although he cares not at hisage for prolonged exercise, has yet made a point of giving me for afew minutes each day the benefit of his skill. "

"I should like to have a bout with you, Master Holliday, " MonsieurDalboy said; "will you take a foil? I am curious to see what theunited teaching of my countryman and that noted swordsman ColonelHolliday may have done. To me, as a master, it is interesting todiscover what is possible with good teachers, when the science isbegun young. What may your age be, Master Holliday?"

"I am four months short of sixteen, " Rupert said, "and I shall bevery proud of the honour of crossing swords with so famed a masteras yourself, if you think me worthy of so great a privilege. "

There was quite a sensation in the fencing school, round which weregathered some forty or fifty of the young men of the day, whenMaitre Dalboy called for his plastron and foil, for it was seldomindeed, and then only with swordsmen of altogether exceptionalstrength, that Monsieur Dalboy condescended to fence, contentinghimself ordinarily with walking about the school and giving a hintnow and then to those fencing with his assistants, not, perhaps, more than once a week taking a foil in his hand to illustrate somethrust or guard which he was inculcating. At this call, therefore, there was a general silence; and everyone turned to see who was thefencer whom the great master thus signally deigned to honour. 

Great was the astonishment when, as Monsieur Dalboy divestedhimself of his coat and vest, the lad who had entered with LordFairholm and Sir John Loveday was seen similarly to prepare for thecontest. 

"Who is he? What singular freak is this of the maitre to take up afoil with a boy!" was the question which ran round the room. 

Several of those present had met Rupert Holliday, and could givehis name; but none could account for the freak on the part of themaster. 

Fortunately Rupert was unacquainted with the fact that what seemedto him a natural occurrence was an extraordinary event in the eyesof all assembled, and he therefore experienced no feeling ofnervousness whatever. He knew that Colonel Holliday was a master ofthe sword, and his grandfather had told him that Monsieur Dessinwas an altogether exceptional swordsman. As he knew himself to befully a match for the latter, he felt sure that, however perfect amaster Monsieur Dalboy might be, he need not fear discrediting hismaster, even if his present opponent should prove more than hismatch. 

There was a dead silence of curiosity at the singularity of theaffair, as Rupert Holliday took his post face to face with themaster; but a murmur of surprise and admiration ran round the roomat the grace and perfection of accuracy with which Rupert wentthrough the various parades which were then customary before thecombatants crossed swords. 

Rupert felt as calm and as steady as when fencing at home, anddetermined to use all his caution as well as all his skill; for notonly did he feel that his own strength was upon trial, but that thehonour of the teachers who had taken such pains with him wasconcerned in the result. The swords had scarcely crossed when anexpression of surprise passed across Maitre Dalboy's face. Thefirst few passes showed him that in this lad he had found anopponent of no ordinary character, and that all his skill would beneeded to obtain a victory over him. 

For the first few minutes each fought cautiously, feeling eachother's strength rather than attempting to attack seriously. Thenthe master dropped his point. 

"Ma foi! Young sir, you have done monsieur le colonel and mycompatriot justice. I offer you my congratulations. "

"They are premature, sir, " Rupert said, smiling; "you have not asyet begun. "

The silence in the school was even more profound when the swordsagain crossed than it had been when the bout began, for wonder hadnow taken the place of amused curiosity. The struggle now commencedin earnest. Several times at first Rupert narrowly escaped beingtouched, for the master's play was new to him. The thrusts andfeints, the various attacks, were all familiar; but whereas ColonelHolliday had fought simply with his arm and his head, standingimmovably in one place, and Monsieur Dessin had, although quick toadvance and fall back, fought comparatively on the defensive, whilehe himself had been the assailant from his superior activity, Monsieur Dalboy was as quick and as active as himself, and therapidity of the attacks, the quick bounds, the swift rushes, atfirst almost bewildered him; but gradually, as he grew accustomedto the play, he steadied himself, and eluded the master's attackswith an activity as great as his own. 

In vain Monsieur Dalboy employed every feint, every combination inhis repertoire. Rupert was always prepared, for from one or otherof his teachers he had learnt the defence to be employed againsteach; and at last, as the master, exhausted with his exertions, flagged a little, Rupert in turn took the offensive. Now MonsieurDalboy's skill stood him in equal stead to defend himself againstRupert's rapid attacks and lightning-like passes and thrusts; andalthough the combat had lasted without a second's interruption fornearly a quarter of an hour, neither combatant had touched theother. 

At last Rupert saw by his opponent's eye that a new and specialcombination was about to be put into action against him, and heinstantly steadied himself to resist it. It came with the rapidityof thought, but Rupert recognized it by the first pass as the verylast combination which Monsieur Dessin had taught him, assuring himat the time that he would find it irresistible, for that there werenot three men in Europe acquainted with it. He met the attack thenwith the defence which Monsieur Dessin had showed him to be thesure escape, ending with a wrench which nearly tore the sword fromthe hand of his opponent. 

Monsieur Dalboy sprang back on guard, with a look of profoundastonishment; and then throwing down his foil, he threw himself, inthe impetuous manner of his countrymen, on Rupert's neck, andembraced him. 

"Mon dieu! mon dieu!" he exclaimed, "You are incroyable, you are amiracle. 

"Gentlemen, " he said, turning to those present, when the burst ofenthusiastic applause which greeted the conclusion of thisextraordinary contest subsided, "you see in this young gentlemanone of the finest swordsmen in Europe. I do not say the finest, forhe has not touched me, and having no idea of his force I extendedmyself rashly at first; but I may say he is my equal. Never butonce have I crossed swords with such a fencer, and I doubt if evenhe was as strong. His parry to my last attack was miraculous. Itwas a coup invented by myself, and brought to perfection with thatone I speak of. I believed no one else knew it, and have everreserved it for a last extremity; but his defence, even to the lastwrench, which would have disarmed any other man but myself, andeven me had I not known that it should have come then, was perfect;it was astounding. 

"This maitre of yours--this Monsieur Dessin, " he went on, turningto Rupert, "must be a wonder. 

"Ah!" he said suddenly, and as if to himself; "c'est bien possible!What was he like, this Monsieur Dessin?"

"He is tall, and slight except as to his shoulders, where he isvery broad. "

"And he has a little scar here, has he not?" the fencing mastersaid, pointing to his temple. 

"Yes, " Rupert said, surprised; "I have often noticed it. "

"Then it is he, " Monsieur Dalboy said, "the swordsman of whom Ispoke. No wonder you parried my coup. I had wondered what hadbecome of him. And you know him as Monsieur Dessin? And he teachesfencing?"

"Yes, " Rupert said; "but my grandfather always said that MonsieurDessin was only an assumed name, and that he was undoubtedly ofnoble blood. "

"Your grandfather was right, " the master said. "Yes, you have hadwonderful masters; but unless I had seen it, I should not havebelieved that even the best masters in the world could have turnedout such a swordsman as you at your age. "

By this time the various couples had begun fencing again, and theroom resounded with the talk of the numerous lookers on, who wereall discoursing on what appeared to them, as to Monsieur Dalboy, the almost miraculous occurrence of a lad under sixteen holding hisown against a man who had the reputation of being the finest maitrein Europe. Lord Fairholm, Sir John Loveday, and other gentlemen, now came round. 

"I was rather thinking, " Sir John said, with a laugh, "of takingyou under my protection, Master Holliday, and fighting your battlesfor you, as an old boy does for a young one at school; but it musteven be the other way. And by my faith, if any German Ritter orFrench swordsman should challenge the British dragoons to a trialof the sword, we shall put you forth as our David. "

"I trust that that may not be, " Rupert said; "for though in battleI hope that I shall not be found wanting, yet I trust that I shallhave nought to do in private quarrels, but be looked upon as one ofa peaceful disposition. "

"Very peaceful, doubtless!" laughed Lord Fairholm. "Tell me, MasterRupert, honestly now, didst ever use in earnest that sword that youhave just shown that you know so well how to wield?"

Rupert flushed up crimson. 

"Yes, " he said, with a shame-faced look, "I have twice used mysword in self defence. "

"Ha, ha! Our peaceful friend!" laughed Lord Fairholm. "And tell me, didst put an end to both unfortunates?"

Rupert coloured still more deeply. 

"I had the misfortune to slay one, my lord; but there are goodhopes that the other will recover. "

A general shout of laughter greeted the announcement, whichtogether with Rupert's evident shame-faced look, was altogether toomuch for their gravity. 

Just at this moment a diversion was caused by a young man dressedin the extreme of fashion who entered the school. He had adissipated and jaded air. 

"Fulke, where hast been?" one of the group standing round Rupertasked. "We have missed you these two weeks. Someone said you hadbeen roughly mauled, and had even lost some teeth. Is it so?"

"It is, " the newcomer said, with an angry scowl. "Any beauty I oncemay have had is gone forever. I have lost three of my upper teeth, and two of my lower, and I am learning now to speak with my lipsshut, so as to hide the gap. "

"But how came it about?"

"I was walking down a side street off the Strand, when four mensprang out and held my hands to my side, another snatched my watchand purse, and as I gave a cry for the watch, he smote me with thepommel of his rapier in my mouth, then throwing me on the groundthe villains took to their heels together. "

The exclamations of commiseration and indignation which arosearound, were abruptly checked by a loud laugh from Rupert. 

There was a dead silence and Sir Richard Fulke, turning his eyeswith fury towards the lad who had dared to jeer at his misfortune, demanded why he laughed. 

"I could not help but laugh, " Rupert said, "although doubtless itwas unmannerly; but your worship's story reminded me somarvellously of the tale of the stout knight, Sir John Falstaff'sadventure with the men of buckram. "

"What mean you?" thundered Sir Richard. 

"I mean, sir, " Rupert said quietly, "that your story has not oneword of truth in it. I came upon you in that side street off theStrand, as you were trying to carry off by force, aided by a rascalnamed Captain Copper, a lady, whose name shall not be mentionedhere. I had not my sword with me, but with a walking stick Itrounced your friend the captain, and then, with my stick againstyour rapier, I knocked out those teeth you regret, with a fairthrust. 

"If my word is doubted, gentlemen, Alderman Hawkins, who heard thedetails of the matter from the young lady and her chairman, canvouch for it. "

A cry of fury burst from Sir Richard Fulke; and drawing his swordhe would have sprung upon the lad, who had not only disfigured himfor life, but now made him the laughingstock of society, for thetale would, he knew, spread far and wide. Several of the gentlementhrew themselves between him and Rupert. 

"I will have his life's blood!" he exclaimed, struggling in thearms of those who would hold him back. "I will kill the dog as hestands. "

"Sir Richard Fulke, " Lord Fairholm said, "Master Holliday is afriend of mine, and will give you an honourable meeting when youwill; but I should advise you to smother your choler. It seems heproved himself with a stick your superior, although armed with asword, and Master Dalboy will tell you that it is better to leavehim alone. "

Master Dalboy was standing by, and going up to Sir Richard, hesaid:

"Sir, if you will take my poor advice you will go your way, andleave Master Holliday to himself. He has, as those here will tellyou, proved himself fully my equal as a swordsman, and could killyou if only armed with a six-inch dagger against your sword. Itwould be safer for you to challenge the whole of those in thispresent company than to cross swords with him. "

A few words from those standing round corroborated a statementwhich at first appeared fabulous; and then finding that an openencounter with Rupert would be the worst possible method ofobtaining satisfaction for the injuries he had received, SirRichard Fulke flung himself out of the school, muttering deep vowsof future vengeance. 

"You have made a dangerous enemy, " Lord Fairholm said, as the threefriends walked homeward. "He bears a bad character, and is areckless and ruined man. After what he has heard of your skill as aswordsman he will, we may be sure, take no open steps against you;but it is certain that he will scheme night and day for vengeance. When the report gets abroad of his cock-and-bull story, and thetrue history of the loss of his teeth, he will not be able to showhis face in public for some time; but he will be none the lessdangerous. Through that notorious ruffian, Captain Copper, he candispose of half the cutthroats about the town, and I should adviseyou not to go out after dark until you have put the seas betweenyou and him, and even then you had better be cautious for a time. "

Rupert agreed with his friend's advice, and the next day begged hispatron to let him embark at once for Holland, in a ship that was tosail with troops from London Bridge. He urged as his reason fordesiring to go at once, his wish to learn something at least of hisduties before the campaign began. 

As the earl had already heard a rumour of the scene in the fencingschool, he made no opposition to the plan, and the next day Rupert, accompanied by Hugh, sailed down the Thames, bound for Rotterdam. 

Chapter 6: The War Of Succession. 

The war which was about to commence, and which Rupert Hollidaysailed for the Hague to take part in, was one of the grandest andmost extensive struggles that ever devastated Europe, embracing asit did the whole of the central and western nations of thecontinent. In fact, with the exception of Russia, still in thedepths of barbarism, and Italy, which was then a battlefield ratherthan a nation, all the states of Europe were ranged on one side orthe other. 

As Charles the Second of Spain approached his end, the liveliestinterest was felt as to his succession. He had no children, and thehopes and fears of all the continental nations were excited by thequestion of the disposal of the then vast dominions of Spain. Theprincipal powers of Europe, dreading the consequences of this greatempire being added to the power of any one monarch, entered into asecret treaty, which was signed at the Hague in 1698, by which itwas agreed that Spain itself should be ceded to the ElectoralPrince of Bavaria, with Flanders and the Low countries; Naples, Sicily, Tuscany, and Guipuscoa were to fall to France; and theDuchy of Milan to the archduke, son of the Emperor of Germany. Holland was to gain a considerable accession of territory. England, one of the signatories to the treaty, was to gain nothing by thedivision. 

The contents of this treaty leaked out, and the king of Spain, after a consultation with Austria, who was also indignant at thesecret treaty, made a will bequeathing all his dominions to theElector of Bavaria. Had that prince lived, all the complicationswhich ensued would probably have been avoided; but he died, the 9thFebruary, 1699, and the whole question was thereby again opened. Another secret treaty was made, between England, France, andHolland, and signed on the 13th March, 1700, at the Hague. By thistreaty it was agreed that France was to receive Naples, Sicily, Guipuscoa, and Lorraine; the Archduke Charles Spain, the LowCountries, and the Indies; and the Spanish colonies were to bedivided between Holland and England. As both England and Hollandwere at the time in alliance with Spain, it must be admitted thattheir secret arrangement for the partition of her territories wasof a very infamous character. 

Louis of France, while apparently acting with the other powers, secretly communicated the contents of the treaty to Charles II. TheSpanish king was naturally dismayed at the great conspiracy todivide his kingdom at his death, and he convened his council ofstate and submitted the matter to them. It was apparent thatFrance, by far the most powerful of the other continental states, could alone avert the division, and the states general thereforedetermined to unite the interests of France and Spain by appointingthe Duc d'Anjou, grandson of the King of France, sole heir to thevast empire of Spain. 

The news that Spain and France were henceforth to be united causedthe greatest consternation to the rest of the States, and allEurope began to arm. Very shortly after signing the bequest, theold King of Spain died, and the Duc d'Anjou ascended the throne. The Spanish Netherlands, governed by the young Elector of Bavaria, as Lieutenant General of Spain, at once gave in their adhesion tothe new monarch. The distant colonies all accepted his rule, as didthe great Spanish possessions in Italy; while the principalEuropean nations acknowledged him as successor of Charles theSecond. 

The new empire seemed indeed of preponderating strength. Bavariaunited herself in a firm alliance with France and Spain; and thesethree countries, with Italy and Flanders, appeared capable ofgiving the law to the world. England, less affected than thecontinental powers by the dominance of this powerful coalition, might have remained quiet, had not the French King thrown down thegauntlet of defiance. On the 16th September, 1701, James theSecond, the exiled King of England, died, and Louis at onceacknowledged his son as King of Great Britain and Ireland. This actwas nothing short of a public declaration of war, not only againstthe reigning monarch of England, but against the establishedreligion of our country. The exiled prince was Roman Catholic. Louis was the author of the most terrible persecution of theProtestants that ever occurred in Europe. Thus the action of theFrench king rallied round William the Second all the Protestantfeeling of the nation. Both Houses of Parliament voted loyaladdresses, and the nation prepared for the great struggle beforeit. The king laboured to establish alliances and a plan for commonaction, and all was in readiness, when his sudden death left theguidance of affairs in other hands. 

These hands were, happily for England, those of the Earl ofMarlborough, the finest diplomatist, as well as the greatestsoldier, of his time. 

The struggle which was approaching was a gigantic one. On one sidewere France and Spain, open to attack on one side only, and holdingmoreover Flanders, and almost the whole of Italy, with the richtreasures of the Indies upon which to draw for supplies. Thealliance of Bavaria, with a valiant population, extended theoffensive power of the coalition into the heart of Austria. 

Upon the other hand were the troops of Austria, England, Holland, Hanover, Hesse Cassel, and the lesser states of Germany, with acontingent of troops, from Prussia and Denmark. In point of numbersthe nations ranged on either side were about equal; but whileFrance, Spain, and Bavaria formed a compact body under the guidanceof Louis, the allies were divided by separate, and often opposinginterests and necessities, while Austria was almost neutralized bya dangerous Hungarian insurrection that was going on, and by thedanger of a Turkish invasion which the activity of French diplomacykept continually hanging over it. The coalition was weakened in thefield by the jealousies of the commanders of the variousnationalities, and still more by the ignorance and timidity of theDutch deputies, which Holland insisted on keeping at headquarters, with the right of veto on all proceedings. 

On the side of the allies the following were the arrangements forthe opening of the campaign. A German army under Louis, Margrave ofBaden, was to be collected on the upper Rhine to threaten France onthe side of Alsace. A second corps, 25, 000 strong, composed ofPrussian troops and Dutch, under the Prince of Saarbruck, were toundertake the siege of Kaiserwerth, a small but very importantfortress on the right bank of the Rhine, two leagues belowDusseldorf. The main army, 35, 000 strong, under the Earl ofAthlone, was destined to cover the frontier of Holland, from theRhine to the Vecun, and also to cover the siege of Kaiserwerth;while a fourth body, of 10, 000 men, under General Cohorn, werecollected near the mouth of the Scheldt, and threatened thedistrict of Bruges. 

Upon the other side the French had been equally active. On theLower Rhine a force was stationed to keep that of Cohorn in check. Marshal Tallard, with 15, 000 men, came down from the Upper Rhine tointerrupt the siege of Kaiserwerth, while the main army, 45, 000strong, under the Duke of Burgundy and Marshal Boufflers, wasposted in the Bishopric of Liege, resting on the tremendous chainof fortresses of Flanders, all of which were in French possession, and strongly garrisoned by French and Spanish soldiers. 

At the time, however, when the vessel containing Rupert Hollidayand Hugh Parsons sailed up the Scheldt, early in the month of May, these arrangements were not completed, but both armies were waitingfor the conflict. 

The lads had little time for the examination of the Hague, now thedullest and most quiet of European capitals, but then a bustlingcity, full of life and energy; for, with the troops who had arrivedwith them, they received orders to march at once to join the campformed at Breda. Accustomed to a quiet English country life, theactivity and bustle of camp life were at once astonishing anddelightful. The journey from the Hague had been a pleasant one. Rupert rode one of the two horses with which the Earl ofMarlborough had presented him, Hugh the other; and as a portion ofthe soldiers with them were infantry, the marches were short andeasy; while the stoppages at quaint Dutch villages, the solemn waysof whose inhabitants, their huge breeches, and disgust at thedisturbance of their usual habits when the troops were quarteredupon them, were a source of great amusement to them. 

Upon reaching the camp they soon found their way to their regiment. Here Rupert presented to Colonel Forbes the letter of recommendationwith which the Earl of Marlborough had provided him, and was at onceintroduced by him to his brother officers, most of them young men, butall some years older than himself. His frank, pleasant, boyish mannerat once won for him a cordial acceptance, and the little cornet, as hewas called in the regiment, soon became a general favourite. 

Hugh, who had formally enlisted in the regiment before leavingEngland, was on arrival handed over to a sergeant; and the two ladswere, with other recruits, incessantly drilled from morning tillnight, to render them efficient soldiers before the day of trialarrived. 

Rupert shared a tent with the other two officers of his troop, Captain Lauriston, a quiet Scotchman, and Lieutenant Dillon, ayoung Irishman, full of fun and life. 

There were in camp three regiments of British cavalry and six ofinfantry, and as they were far from the seat of war, there was forthe present nothing to do but to drill, and prepare for the comingcampaign. Rupert was delighted with the life, for although the workfor the recruits was hard, the weather was splendid, suppliesabundant--for the Dutch farm wives and their daughters broughtducks, and geese, and eggs into the camp--and all were in highspirits at the thought of the approaching campaign. Every nightthere were gatherings round the fire, when songs were sung andstories told. Most of the officers had before campaigned inHolland, under King William, and many had fought in Ireland, andhad stirring tales of the Boyne, of the siege of Athlone, and offierce encounters with the brave but undisciplined Irish. 

At the end of a month's hard work, Rupert began to understand hisduties, for in those days the amount of drill deemed necessary fora trooper was small indeed in proportion to that which he has nowto master. Rupert was already a good rider, and soon learnt wherewas his proper place as cornet in each evolution, and the ordersthat it behoved him to give. The foot drill was longer and moredifficult, for in those days dragoons fought far more on foot thanis now the case, although at this epoch they had already ceased tobe considered as mounted infantry, and had taken their true placeas cavalry. Rupert's broadsword drill lasted but a very short time;upon the drill sergeant asking him if he knew anything of thatweapon, he said that he could play at singlestick, but had neverpractised with the broadsword. His instructor, however, found thata very few lessons were sufficient to enable him to perform therequired cuts and guard with sufficient proficiency, and veryspeedily claimed the crown which Rupert promised him on hisdismissal from the class. 

Week after week passed in inactivity, and the troops chafedmightily thereat, the more so that stirring events were proceedingelsewhere. The siege of Kaiserwerth, by a body of 15, 000 Germantroops, had begun on the 18th of April, and the attack and defencewere alike obstinate and bloody. The Earl of Athlone with hiscovering forces lay at Cleves, and a sharp cavalry fight between1000 of the allied cavalry and 700 French horse took place on the27th of April. The French were defeated, with the loss of 400 men;but as the victors lost 300, it is clear that both sides foughtwith extreme determination and bravery, such a loss--700 men out of1700 combatants--being extraordinarily large. The spirit shown byboth sides in this the first fight of the war, was a portent of theobstinate manner in which all the battles of this great war werecontested. For two months Kaiserwerth nobly defended itself. Seventy-eight guns and mortars thundered against it night and day. On the 9th of June the besiegers made a desperate assault andgained possession of a covered way, but at a cost of 2000 killedand wounded. A week later the place capitulated after a siege whichhad cost the allies 5000 men. 

General Boufflers, with his army of 37, 000 men, finding himselfunable to raise the siege, determined to make a dash againstNimeguen, an important frontier fortress of Holland, but which thesupineness of the Dutch Government had allowed to fall intodisrepair. Not only was there no garrison there, but not a gun wasmounted on its walls. The expedition seemed certain of success, andon the evening of the 9th of June Boufflers moved out from Xanten, and marched all night. Next day Athlone obtained news of themovement and started in the evening, his march being parallel withthe French, the hostile armies moving abreast, and at no greatdistance from each other. 

The cavalry covered the British march, and these were in themorning attacked by the French horse under the Duke of Burgundy. The British were outnumbered, but fought with great obstinacy, andbefore they fell back, with a loss of 720 men and a convoy of 300waggons, the infantry had pushed forward, and when the French armyreached Nimeguen its ramparts bristled with British bayonets. Boufflers, disappointed in his aim, fell back upon the richdistrict of Cleves, now open to him, and plundered and ravaged thatfertile country. 

Although Kaiserwerth had been taken and Nimeguen saved, the dangerwhich they had run, and the backward movement of the allied army, filled the Dutch with consternation. 

The time, however, had come when Marlborough himself was to assumethe command, and by his genius, dash, and strategy to alter thewhole complexion of things, and to roll back the tide of war fromthe borders of Holland. He had crossed from England early in May, afew days only after Rupert had sailed; but hitherto he had beenengaged in smoothing obstacles, appeasing jealousies, healingdifferences, and getting the whole arrangement of the campaign intosomething like working order. At last, everything being fairly intrim, he set out on the 2nd of July from the Hague, with full poweras commander-in-chief of the allied armies, for Nimeguen. There heordered the British troops from Breda, 8000 Germans fromKaiserwerth, and the contingents of Hesse and Luneburg, 6000strong, under the Prince of Zell, to join him. 

As these reinforcements brought his army up to a strength superiorto that of the French, although Marshal Boufflers had hastily drawnto him some of the garrisons of the fortresses, the Earl ofMarlborough prepared to strike a great blow. The Dutch deputies whoaccompanied the army--and whose timidity and obstinacy a score oftimes during the course of the war thwarted all Marlborough'sbest-laid plans, and saved the enemy from destruction--interferedto forbid an attack upon two occasions when an engagement would, asadmitted by French historians, have been fatal to their whole army. Marlborough therefore was obliged to content himself by outflankingthe French, compelling them to abandon Cleves, to cross the Meuse, and to fall back into Flanders, with some loss, and great haste anddisorder. 

In vain the French marshal endeavoured to take post so as to savethe Meuse fortresses, which stood at the gates of Flanders, and bytheir command of the river prevented the allies from using thechain of water communications to bring up supplies. Marlboroughcrossed the line by which his siege train was coming up, and thenpounced upon Venloo, a very strong fortress standing across theMeuse--that is to say, the town was on one side, the fort of SaintMichael on the other. 

After this chapter, devoted to the necessary task of explaining thecause and commencement of the great War of Succession, we canreturn to the individual fortunes of our hero. 

Chapter 7: Venloo. 

Upon the 5th dragoons being, with the others lying with it in campat Breda, ordered up to join the main army at Nimeguen, Rupert was, to his great delight, declared to be sufficiently advanced in hisknowledge of drill to take his place regularly in the ranks; andHugh and the other recruits also fell into their places in thevarious troops among which they were divided, Hugh being, atRupert's request, told off to Captain Lauriston's troop. With drumsbeating and colours flying, the column from Breda marched into theallied camp at Duckenberg in front of Nimeguen, where the troopscrowded out to greet this valuable addition of eight infantryregiments and three of cavalry. 

Scarcely were the tents pitched than Rupert heard himself heartilysaluted, and looking round, saw his friends Lord Fairholm and SirJohn Loveday, who being already in camp had at once sought him out. 

"By my faith, Master Holliday, the three months have done wondersfor you; you look every inch a soldier, " Lord Fairholm said. 

"His very moustache is beginning to show, " Sir John Loveday said, laughing. 

Rupert joined in the laugh, for in truth he had that very morninglooked anxiously in a glass, and had tried in vain to persuadehimself that the down on his upper lip showed any signs ofthickening or growing. 

"Well, and how many unfortunate English, Dutch, and Germans haveyou dispatched since we saw you?"

"Oh, please hush, " Rupert said anxiously. "No one knows that I haveany idea of fencing, or that I have ever drawn a sword before Iwent through my course of the broadsword here. I would not on anyaccount that any one thought I was a quarrelsome swordster. Youknow I really am not, and it has been purely my misfortune that Ihave been thrust into these things. "

"And you have never told any of your comrades that you have killedyour man? Or that Dalboy proclaimed you in his salle to be one ofthe finest blades in Europe?"

"No, indeed, " Rupert said. "Why should I, Sir John?"

"Well, all I can say is, Rupert, I admire your modesty as much asyour skill. There are few fellows of your age, or of mine either, but would hector a little on the strength of such a reputation. Ithink that I myself should cock my hat, and point my moustache alittle more fiercely, if I knew that I was the cock of the wholewalk. "

Rupert smiled. "I don't think you would, Sir John, especially ifyou were as young as I am. I know I have heard my tutor say thatthe fellow who is really cock of a school, is generally one of thequietest and best-tempered fellows going. Not that I mean, " headded hastily, as his companions both laughed, "that I am cock, orthat I am a quiet or very good-tempered fellow. I only meant that Iwas not quarrelsome, and have indeed put up more than once withpractical jokings which I might have resented had I not known howskillful with the sword I am, and that in this campaign I shallhave plenty of opportunities of showing that I am no coward. "

"Well spoken, Rupert, " Sir John said. "Now we have kept you talkingin the sun an unconscionable time; come over to our tent, and havesomething to wash the dust away. We have some fairly good Burgundy, of which we bought a barrel the other day from a vintner inNimeguen, and it must be drunk before we march. 

"Are these the officers of your troop? Pray present me. "

Rupert introduced his friends to Captain Lauriston and LieutenantDillon, and the invitation was extended to them. For the time, however, it was necessary to see to the wants of the men, but lateron the three officers went across to the tents of the king'sdragoons, to which regiment Lord Fairholm and Sir John Loveday bothbelonged, and spent a merry evening. 

Upon the following day the Earl of Marlborough sent for Rupert andinquired of him how he liked the life, and how he was getting on;and begged of him to come to him at any time should he have need ofmoney, or be in any way so placed as to need his aid. Rupertthanked him warmly, but replied that he lacked nothing. 

The following day the march began, and Rupert shared in the generalindignation felt by the British officers and men at seeing thesplendid opportunities of crushing the enemy--opportunities gainedby the skill and science of their general, and by their own rapidand fatiguing marches--thrown away by the feebleness and timidityof the Dutch deputies. When the siege of Venloo began the main bodyof the army was again condemned to inactivity, and the cavalry hadof course nothing to do with the siege. 

The place was exceedingly strong, but the garrison was weak, consisting only of six battalions of infantry and 300 horse. Cohorn, the celebrated engineer, directed the siege operations, forwhich thirty-two battalions of infantry and thirty-six squadrons ofhorse were told off, the Prince of Nassau Saarbruch being incommand. 

Two squadrons of the 5th dragoons, including the troop to whichRupert belonged, formed part of the force. The work was by no meanspopular with the cavalry, as they had little to do, and lost theirchance of taking part in any great action that Boufflers mightfight with Marlborough to relieve the town. The investment began onthe 4th? of September, the efforts of the besiegers being directedagainst Fort Saint Michael at the opposite side of the river, butconnected by a bridge of boats to the town. 

On the 17th the breaches were increasing rapidly in size, and itwas whispered that the assault would be made on the evening of the18th, soon after dusk. 

"It will be a difficult and bloody business, " Captain Lauristonsaid, as they sat in their tent that evening. "The garrison of FortSaint Michael is only 800, but reinforcements will of course pourin from the town directly the attack begins, and it may be morethan our men can do to win the place. You remember how heavily theGermans suffered in their attack on the covered way of Kaiserwerth. "

"I should think the best thing to do would be to break down thebridge of boats before beginning the attack, " Lieutenant Dillonremarked. 

"Yes, that would be an excellent plan if it could be carried out, but none of our guns command it. "

"We might launch a boat with straw or combustibles from above, "Rupert said, "and burn it. "

"You may be very sure that they have got chains across the riverabove the bridge, to prevent any attempt of that kind, " CaptainLauriston said. 

Presently the captain, who was on duty, went out for his rounds, and Rupert, who had been sitting thoughtfully, said, "Look here, Dillon, I am a good swimmer, and it seems to me that it would beeasy enough to put two or three petards on a plank--I noticed somewood on the bank above the town yesterday--and to float down to thebridge, to fasten them to two or three of the boats, and so tobreak the bridge; your cousin in the engineers could manage to getus the petards. What do you say?"

The young Irishman looked at the lad in astonishment. 

"Are you talking seriously?" he asked. 

"Certainly; why not?"

"They'd laugh in your face if you were to volunteer, " Dillon said. 

"But I shouldn't volunteer; I should just go and do it. "

"Yes, but after it was done, instead of getting praise--that is, ifyou weren't killed--you'd be simply told you had no right toundertake such an affair. "

"But I should never say anything about it, " Rupert said. "I shouldjust do it because it would be a good thing to do, and would savethe lives of some of our grenadiers, who will, likely enough, leadthe assault. Besides, it would be an adventure, like any other. "

Dillon looked at him for some time. 

"You are a curious fellow, Holliday. I would agree to join you inthe matter, but I cannot swim a stroke. Pat Dillon cares as littlefor his life as any man; and after all, there's no more danger init than in going out in a duel; and I could do that withoutthinking twice. "

"Well, I shall try it, " Rupert said quietly. "Hugh can swim as wellas I can, and I'll take him. But can you get me the petards?"

"I dare say I could manage that, " Dillon said, entering into thescheme with all an Irishman's love of excitement. "But don't youthink I could go too, though I can't swim? I could stick tight tothe planks, you know. "

"No, " Rupert said seriously, "that would not do. We may bedetected, and may have to dive, and all sorts of things. No, Dillon, it would not do. But if you can get the petards, you willhave the satisfaction of knowing that you have done your share ofthe work; and then you might, if you could, ride round in theevening with my uniform and Hugh's in your valise. If you go on tothe bank half a mile or so below the town, every one will bewatching the assault, and we can get ashore, put on our clothes, and get back home without a soul being the wiser. "

"And suppose you are killed?"

"Pooh, I shall not be killed!" Rupert said. "But I shall leave aletter, which you can find in the morning if I do not come back, saying I have undertaken this adventure in hope of benefitingher Majesty's arms; that I do it without asking permission; butthat I hope that my going beyond my duty will be forgiven, inconsideration that I have died in her Majesty's service. "

The next day at two o'clock, Lieutenant Dillon, who had been awayfor an hour, beckoned to Rupert that he wanted to speak to himapart. 

"I have seen my cousin Gerald, but he will not let me have thepetards unless he knows for what purpose they are to be used. Isaid as much as I could without betraying your intentions, but Ithink he guessed them; for he said, 'Look here, Pat, if there isany fun and adventure on hand, I will make free with her graciousMajesty's petards, on condition that I am in it. ' He's up to fun ofevery kind, Gerald is; and can, I know, swim like a fish. What doyou say, shall I tell him?"

"Do, by all means, " Rupert said. "I have warned Hugh of what I amgoing to do, and he would never forgive me if I did not take him;but if your cousin will go, all the better, for he will know farbetter than I how to fix the petards. You can tell him I shall beglad to act under his orders; and if it succeeds, and he likes tolet it be known the part which he has played in the matter--whichindeed would seem to be within the scope of his proper duties, hebeing an engineer--I shall be glad for him to do so, it alwaysbeing understood that he does not mention my name in any way. "

Half-an-hour later Dillon entered, to say that his cousin agreed heartilyto take a part in the adventure, and that he would shortly come up toarrange the details with Rupert. Rupert had met Gerald Dillon before, and knew him to be as wild, adventurous, and harum-scarum a young officeras his cousin Pat; and in half-an-hour's talk the whole matter was settled. 

Gerald would take two petards, which weighed some twenty poundseach, to his tent, one by one. Hugh should fetch them in a basket, one by one, to the river bank, at the spot where a balk of wood hadbeen washed ashore by some recent floods. At seven in the eveningGerald should call upon his cousin, and on leaving, accompanyRupert to the river bank, where Hugh would be already in waiting. When they had left, Pat Dillon should start on horseback with thethree uniforms in his valise, the party hiding the clothes in whichthey left the camp, under the bank at their place of starting. 

The plan was carried out as arranged, and soon after seven o'clockRupert Holliday and Gerald Dillon, leaving the camp, strolled downto the river, on whose bank Hugh was already sitting. The day hadbeen extremely hot, and numbers of soldiers were bathing in theriver. It was known that the assault was to take place that night, but as the cavalry would take no part in it, the soldiers, withtheir accustomed carelessness, paid little heed to the matter. Asit grew dusk, the bathers one by one dressed and left, until onlythe three watchers remained. Then Rupert called Hugh, who had beensitting at a short distance, to his side; they then stripped, andcarefully concealed their clothes. The petards were taken out frombeneath a heap of stones, where Hugh had hid them, and were fixedon the piece of timber, one end of which was just afloat in thestream. By their side was placed some lengths of fuse, a brace ofpistols, a long gimlet, some hooks, and cord. Then just as it wasfairly dark the log was silently pushed into the water, andswimming beside it, with one hand upon it, the little party startedupon their adventurous expedition. 

The log was not very large, although of considerable length, andwith the petards upon it, it showed but little above water. Thepoint where they had embarked was fully two miles above the town, and it was more than an hour before the stream took them abreast ofit. Although it was very dark, they now floated on their backs bythe piece of timber, so as to show as little as possible to any whomight be on the lookout, for of all objects the round outline of ahuman head is one of the most easily recognized. 

Presently they came, as they had expected, to a floating boom, composed of logs of timber chained together. Here the piece oftimber came to a standstill. No talk was necessary, as the courseunder these circumstances had been already agreed to. The petardsand other objects were placed on the boom, upon which Rupert, asthe lightest of the party, crept, holding in his hand a cordfastened round the log. Hugh and Gerald Dillon now climbed upon oneend of the log, which at once sank into the water below the levelof the bottom of the boom, and the current taking it, swept itbeneath the obstacle. Rupert's rope directed its downward course, and it was soon alongside the boom, but on the lower side. 

The petards were replaced, and the party again proceeded; but nowHugh swam on his back, holding a short rope attached to one end, soas to keep the log straight, and prevent its getting across themooring chains of the boats forming the bridge; while Rupert andGerald, each with a rope also attached to the log, floated downsome ten or twelve yards on either side of the log, but a littlebehind it. The plan answered admirably; the stream carried the logend-foremost between two of the boats, which were moored twelvefeet apart, while Gerald and Rupert each floated on the other sideof the mooring chains of the boats; round these chains they twistedthe ropes, and by them the log lay anchored as it were under thebridge, and between two of the boats forming it. If there were anysentries on the bridge, these neither saw nor heard them, theirattention being absorbed by the expectation of an attack upon thebreaches of Fort Saint Michael. 

The party now set to work. With the gimlet holes were made a coupleof feet above the water. In them the hooks were inserted, and fromthese the petards were suspended by ropes, so as to lie against thesides of the boats, an inch only above the water's level. The fuseswere inserted; and all being now in readiness for blowing a hole inthe side of the two boats, they regained the log, and awaited thesignal. 

The time passed slowly; but as the church clocks of the town struckeleven, a sudden outburst of musketry broke out round SaintMichael's. In an instant the cannon of the fort roared out, thebells clanged the alarm, blue fires were lighted, and the deadsilence was succeeded by a perfect chaos of sounds. 

The party under the bridge waited quietly, until the noise as of alarge body of men coming upon the bridge from the town end washeard. At the first outbreak Gerald Dillon had, with somedifficulty, lit first some tinder, and then a slow match, from aflint and steel--all of these articles having been most carefullykept dry during the trip, with the two pistols, which were intendedto fire the fuses, should the flint and steel fail to produce alight. 

As the sound of the reinforcements coming on to the bridge washeard, Gerald Dillon on one side, Rupert Holliday on the other, left the log, and swam with a slow match in hand to the boats. Inanother instant the fuses were lighted, and the three companionsswam steadily downstream. 

In twenty seconds a loud explosion was heard, followed almostinstantaneously by another, and the swimmers knew that their objecthad been successful, that two of the boats forming the bridge wouldsink immediately, and that, the connexion being thus broken, noreinforcements from the town could reach the garrison of the FortSaint Michael. Loud shouts were heard upon the bridge as theswimmers struck steadily down stream, while the roar of themusketry from Fort Saint Michael was unremitting. 

Half an hour later the three adventurers landed, at a point where alantern had, according to arrangement, been placed at the water'sedge by Pat Dillon, who was in waiting with their clothes, and whoreceived them with an enthusiastic welcome. Five minutes later theywere on their way back to their camp. 

In the meantime the battle had raged fiercely round Fort SaintMichael. The attack had been made upon two breaches. The Britishcolumn, headed by the grenadiers, and under the command of LordCutts, attacked the principal breach. The French opposed adesperate defence. With Lord Cutts as volunteers were LordHuntingdon, Lord Lorn, Sir Richard Temple, and Mr. Dalrymple, andthese set a gallant example to their men. 

On arriving at a high breastwork, Lord Huntingdon, who was weakenedby recent attack of fever, was unable to climb over it. 

"Five guineas, " he shouted, "to the man who will help me over!"

Even among the storm of balls there was a shout of laughter as thenobleman held out his purse, and a dozen willing hands soon liftedhim over the obstacle. 

Then on the troops swept, stormed the covered way, carried theravelin, and forced their way up the breach. The French foughtstaunchly; and well it was for the British that no reinforcementscould reach them from Venloo, and that the original 800 garrisoningthe fort were alone in their defence. As it was, the place wasstormed, 200 of the French made prisoners, and the rest eitherkilled or drowned in endeavouring to cross the river. 

The French in Venloo, upon finding that the fort had fallen, brokeup the rest of the bridge; and although there was some surprise inthe British camp that no reinforcements had been sent over to aidthe garrison, none knew that the bridge had been broken at thecommencement of the attack, consequently there were neither talknor inquiries; and those concerned congratulated themselves thattheir adventure had been successful, and that, as no one knewanything of it, they could, should occasion offer, again undertakean expedition on their own account. 

The day after the capture of Saint Michael's, strong fatigueparties were set to work, erecting batteries to play across theriver on the town. These were soon opened, and after a few days'further resistance, the place surrendered, on the condition of thegarrison being free to march to Antwerp, then in French possession. 

The towns of Ruremond and Stevenswort were now invested, andsurrendered after a short resistance; and thus the Maas was openedas a waterway for the supplies for the army. 

The Dutch Government, satisfied with the successes so far, wouldhave now had the army go into winter quarters; but Marlborough, with great difficulty, persuaded them to consent to his undertakingthe siege of Liege, a most important town and fortress, whosepossession would give to the allies the command of the Meuse--orMaas--into the very heart of Flanders. 

Marshal Boufflers, ever watching the movements of Marlborough, suspected that Liege would be his next object of attack, andaccordingly reconnoitred the ground round that city, and fixed on aposition which would, he thought, serve admirably for theestablishment of a permanent camp. 

The news was, however, brought to Marlborough, who broke up hiscamp the same night; and when the French army approached Liege, they found the allies established on the very ground which theMarshal had selected for their camp. All unsuspecting the presenceof the English, the French came on in order of march until withincannon shot of the allies, and another splendid opportunity wasthus given to Marlborough to attack the main body of the enemyunder most advantageous circumstances. 

The Dutch deputies again interposed their veto, and the English hadthe mortification of seeing the enemy again escape from theirhands. 

However, there was now nothing to prevent their undertaking thesiege of Liege, and on the 20th of October the regular investmentof the place was formed. 

The strength of Liege consisted in its citadel and the Fort ofChatreuse, both strongly fortified. The town itself, a wealthycity, and so abounding in churches that it was called "LittleRome, " was defended only by a single wall. It could clearly offerno defence against the besiegers, and therefore surrendered at thefirst summons, the garrison, 5000 strong, retiring to the citadeland Fort Saint Chatreuse, which mounted fifty guns. Siege was atonce laid to the citadel, and with such extraordinary vigour wasthe attack pushed forward, under the direction of General Cohorn, that upon the 23rd of October, three days only after the investmentcommenced, the breaches in the counter-scarp were pronouncedpracticable, and an assault was immediately ordered. The alliesattacked with extreme bravery, and the citadel was carried bystorm--here as at Venloo, the British troops being the first whoscaled the breach. Thus 2000 prisoners were taken; and the garrisonof Fort Chatreuse were so disheartened at the speedy fall of thecitadel, that they capitulated a few days later. 

This brought the first campaign of the war to an end. It had beenvery short, but its effect had been great. Kaiserwerth had beentaken, and the Lower Rhine opened; four fortified places on theMeuse had been captured; the enemy had been driven back from theborders of Holland; and the allied army had, in the possession ofLiege, an advanced post in the heart of Flanders for therecommencement of the campaign in the spring. And all this had beendone in the face of a large French army, which had never venturedto give battle even to save the beleaguered fortresses. 

The army now went into winter quarters, and Marlborough returned atonce to England. 

Upon the voyage down the Meuse, in company with the Dutchcommissioners, he had a very narrow escape. The boat was capturedby a French partisan leader, who had made an incursion to theriver. The earl had with him an old servant named Gill, who, withgreat presence of mind, slipped into his master's hand an oldpassport made out in the name of General Churchill. The French, intent only upon plunder, and not recognizing under the name ofChurchill their great opponent Marlborough, seized all the plateand valuables in the boat, made prisoners of the small detachmentof soldiers on board, but suffered the rest of the passengers, including the earl and the Dutch commissioners, to pass unmolested. 

Thus, had it not been for the presence of mind of an old servant, the Earl of Marlborough would have been taken a prisoner to France;and since it was his genius and diplomatic power alone which keptthe alliance together, and secured victory for their arms, thewhole issue of the war, the whole future of Europe, would have beenchanged. 

Chapter 8: The Old Mill. 

A considerable portion of the allied army were quartered in thebarracks and forts of Liege, in large convents requisitioned forthe purpose, and in outlying villages. The 5th dragoons hadassigned to them a convent some two miles from the town. The monkshad moved out, and gone to an establishment of the same order inthe town, and the soldiers were therefore left to make the bestthey could of their quarters. There was plenty of room for the men, but for the horses there was some difficulty. The cloisters werevery large, and these were transformed into stables, and boardswere fastened up on the open faces to keep out the cold; otherswere stalled in sheds and outbuildings; and the great refectory, ordining hall, was also strewn thick with straw, and filled with fourrows of horses. 

In the afternoon the officers generally rode or walked down intothe town. One day, Rupert Holliday with Pat Dillon had met theirfriends Lord Fairholm and Sir John Loveday, whose regiment wasquartered in the town, at the principal wine shop, a largeestablishment, which was the great gathering place of the officersof the garrison. There an immense variety of bright uniforms wereto be seen; English, German, and Dutch, horse, foot, and artillery;while the serving men hurried about through the throng with trayspiled with beer mugs, or with wine and glasses. 

"Who is that officer, " Dillon asked, "in the Hessian cavalryuniform? Methinks he eyes you with no friendly look. "

Rupert and his friends glanced at the officer pointed out. 

"It is that fellow Fulke, " Sir John said. "I heard he had managedto obtain a commission in the army of the Landgrave of Hesse. Youmust keep a smart lookout, Master Rupert, for his presence bodesyou no good. He is in fitting company; that big German officer nextto him is the Graff Muller, a turbulent swashbuckler, but a famousswordsman--a fellow who would as soon run you through as look atyou, and who is a disgrace to the Margrave's army, in which Iwonder much that he is allowed to stay. "

"Who is the fellow you are speaking of?" Dillon asked. 

"A gentleman with whom our friend Rupert had a difference ofopinion, " Sir John Loveday laughed. "There is a blood feud betweenthem. Seriously, the fellow has a grudge against our friend, and ashe is the sort of man to gratify himself without caring much as tothe means he uses, I should advise Master Holliday not to trusthimself out alone after dark. There are plenty of ruined men inthese German regiments who would willingly cut a throat for aguinea, especially if offered them by one of their own officers. "

"The scoundrel is trying to get Muller to take up his quarrel, or Iam mistaken, " Lord Fairholm, who had been watching the pairclosely, said. "They are glancing this way, and Fulke has beentalking earnestly. But ruffian as he is, Muller is of opinion thatfor a notorious swordsman like him to pick a quarrel with a ladlike our friend would be too rank, and would, if he killed him, look so much like murder that even he dare not face it; he hasshaken his head very positively. "

"But why should not this Fulke take the quarrel in his own hands?"Dillon asked, surprised. "Unless he is the rankest of cowards hemight surely consider himself a match for our little cornet?"

"Our little cornet has a neat hand with the foils, " Lord Fairholmsaid drily, "and Master Fulke is not unacquainted with the fact. "

"Why, Rupert, " Dillon said, turning to him, "you have never saidthat you ever had a foil in your hand!"

"You never asked me, " Rupert said, smiling. "But I have practisedsomewhat with the colonel my grandfather. And now it is time to beoff, Dillon; we have to walk back. "

Four days later, as Rupert Holliday was standing in the barrackyard, his troop having just been dismissed drill, a trooper of the1st dragoons rode into the yard, and after asking a question of oneof the men, rode up to him and handed him a note. 

Somewhat surprised he opened it, and read as follows:

"My dear Master Holliday--Sir John Loveday and myself are engagedin an adventure which promises some entertainment, albeit it is notwithout a spice of danger. We need a good comrade who can onoccasion use his sword, and we know that we can rely on you. Onreceipt of this, please mount your horse and ride to the old millwhich lies back from the road in the valley beyond Dettinheim. There you will find your sincere friend, Fairholm. 

"P. S. It would be as well not to mention whither you are going toride. "

It was the first note that Rupert had received from Lord Fairholm, and delighted at the thought of an adventure, he called Hugh, andbade him saddle his horse. 

"Shall I go with you, Master Rupert?" Hugh asked, for he generallyrode behind Rupert as his orderly. 

Rupert did not answer for a moment. Lord Fairholm had asked him totell no one; but he meant, no doubt, that he should tell none ofhis brother officers. On Hugh's silence, whatever happened, hecould rely, and he would be useful to hold the horses. At any rate, if not wanted, he could return. 

"Ay, Hugh, you can come; and look you, slip a brace of pistolsquietly into each of our holsters. "

With a momentary look of surprise, Hugh withdrew to carry out hisinstructions; and ten minutes later, Rupert, followed by hisorderly, rode out of the convent. 

The mill in question lay some three miles distant, and about half amile beyond the little hamlet of Dettinheim. It stood some distancefrom the road, up a quiet valley, and was half hidden in trees. Ithad been worked by a stream that ran down the valley. It was adark, gloomy-looking structure; and the long green weeds that hungfrom the great wheel, where the water from the overshot troughsplashed and tumbled over it, showed that it had been for some timeabandoned. These things had been noticed by Rupert when riding pastit some time before, for, struck with the appearance of the mill, he had ridden up the valley to inspect it. 

On his ride to Lord Fairholm's rendezvous, he wondered much whatcould be the nature of the adventure in which they were about toembark. He knew that both his friends were full of life and highspirits, and his thoughts wandered between some wild attempt tocarry off a French officer of importance, or an expedition torescue a lovely damsel in distress. Hugh, equally wondering, butstill more ignorant of the nature of the expedition, rode quietlyon behind. 

The road was an unfrequented one, and during the last two miles'ride they did not meet a single person upon it. The hamlet ofDettinheim contained four or five houses only, and no one seemedabout. Another five minutes' riding took them to the entrance tothe little valley in which the mill stood. They rode up to it, andthen dismounted. 

"It's a lonesome dismal-looking place, Master Rupert. It doesn'tseem to bode good. Of course you know what you're come for, sir;but I don't like the look of the place, nohow. "

"It does not look cheerful, Hugh; but I am to meet Lord Fairholmand Sir John Loveday here. "

"I don't see any sign of them, Master Rupert. I'd be careful if Iwere you, for it's just the sort of place for a foul deed to bedone in. It does not look safe. "

"It looks old and haunted, " Rupert said; "but as that is itsnatural look, I don't see it can help it. The door is open, so myfriends are here. "

"Look out, Master Rupert; you may be running into a snare. "

Rupert paused a moment, and the thought flashed across his mindthat it might, as Hugh said, be a snare; but with Lord Fairholm'sletter in his pocket, he dismissed the idea. 

"You make me nervous, Hugh, with your suggestions. Nevertheless Iwill be on my guard;" and he drew his sword as he entered the mill. 

As he did so, Hugh, who was holding the horses' bridles over hisarm, snatched a brace of pistols from the holsters, cocked them, and stood eagerly listening. He heard Rupert walk a few pacesforward, and then pause, and shout "Where are you, Fairholm?"

Then he heard a rush of heavy feet, a shout from Rupert, a clash ofswords, and a scream of agony. 

All this was the work of a second; and as Hugh dropped the reinsand rushed forward to his master's assistance, he heard a noisebehind him, and saw a dozen men issue from behind the trees, andrun towards him. 

Coming from the light, Hugh could with difficulty see what wastaking place in the darkened chamber before him. In an instant, however, he saw Rupert standing with his back to a wall, with adead man at his feet, and four others hacking and thrusting at him. Rushing up, Hugh fired his two pistols. One of the men dropped tothe ground, the other with an oath reeled backwards. 

"Quick, sir! there are a dozen men just upon us. "

Rupert ran one of his opponents through the shoulder, and as theother drew back shouted to Hugh, "Up the stairs, Hugh! Quick!"

The two lads sprang up the wide steps leading to the floor above, just as the doorway was darkened by a mass of men. The door at thetop of the steps yielded to their rush, the rotten woodwork giving, and the door falling to the ground. Two or three pistol bulletswhizzed by their ears, just as they leapt through the opening. 

"Up another floor, Hugh; and easy with the door. "

The door at the top of the next ladder creaked heavily as theypushed it back on its hinges. 

"Look about, Hugh, for something to pile against it. "

The shutters of the window were closed, but enough light streamedthrough the chinks and crevices for them to see dimly. There wasodd rubbish strewn all about, and in one corner a heap of decayingsacks. To these both rushed, and threw some on the floor by thedoor, placing their feet on them to keep them firm, just as with arush the men came against it. This door was far stronger than theone below, but it gave before the weight. 

"The hinges will give, " Hugh exclaimed; but at the moment Rupertpassed his thin rapier through one of the chinks of the roughboards which formed it, and a yell was heard on the outside. Thepressure against the door ceased instantly; and Rupert bade Hughrun for some more sacks, while he threw himself prone on them onthe ground. 

It was well he did so, for, as he expected, a half-dozen pistolshots were heard, and the bullets crashed through the woodwork. 

"Keep out of the line of fire, Hugh. "

Hugh did so, and threw down the sacks close to the door. Severaltimes he ran backwards and forwards across the room, the assailantsstill firing through the door. Then Rupert leapt up, and the pileof sacks were rapidly heaped against the door, just as the menoutside, in hopes that they had killed the defenders, made anotherrush against it. 

This time, however, the pile of sacks had given it strength andsolidity, and it hardly shook under the assault. Then came volleysof curses and imprecations, in German, from outside; and then thelads could hear the steps descend the stairs, and a loud and angryconsultation take place below. 

"Open the shutters, Hugh, and let us see where we are. "

It was a chamber of some forty feet square, and, like those belowit, of considerable height. It was like the rest of the mill, builtof rough pine, black with age. It had evidently been used as agranary. 

"This is a nice trap we have fallen into, Hugh, and I doubt me ifLord Fairholm ever saw the letter with his name upon it which luredme here. However, that is not the question now; the thing is how weare to get out of the trap. How many were there outside, do youthink?"

"There seemed to me about a dozen, Master Rupert, but I got merelya blink at them. "

"If it were not for their pistols we might do something, Hugh; butas it is, it is hopeless. "

Looking out from the window they saw that it was over the greatwater wheel, whose top was some fifteen feet below them, with thewater running to waste from the inlet, which led from the reservoirhigher up the valley. 

Presently they heard a horse gallop up to the front of the mill, and shortly after the sound of a man's voice raised in anger. Bythis time it was getting dark. 

"What'll be the end of this, Master Rupert? We could stand a siegefor a week, but they'd hardly try that. "

"What's that?" Rupert said. "There's some one at the door again. "

They came back, but all was quiet. Listening attentively, however, they heard a creaking, as of someone silently descending thestairs. For some time all was quiet, except that they could hearmovements in the lower story of the mill. Presently Rupert graspedHugh's arm. 

"Do you smell anything, Hugh?"

"Yes, sir, I smell a smoke. "

"The scoundrels have set the mill on fire, Hugh. "

In another minute or two the smell became stronger, and thenwreaths of smoke could be seen curling up through the crevices inthe floor. 

"Run through the other rooms, Hugh; let us see if there is anymeans of getting down. "

There were three other rooms, but on opening the shutters theyfound in each case a sheer descent of full forty feet to theground, there being no outhouses whose roofs would afford them ameans of descent. 

"We must rush downstairs, Hugh. It is better to be shot as we goout, than be roasted here. "

Rapidly they tore away the barrier of sacks, and Rupert put histhumb on the latch. He withdrew it with a sharp exclamation. 

"They have jammed the latch, Hugh. That was what that fellow weheard was doing. "

The smoke was now getting very dense, and they could withdifficulty breathe. Rupert put his head out of the window. 

"There is a little window just over the wheel, " he said. "If wecould get down to the next floor we might slip out of that and getin the wheel without being noticed. 

"Look about, Hugh, " he exclaimed suddenly; "there must be atrapdoor somewhere for lowering the sacks. There is a wheel hangingto the ceiling; the trap must be under that. "

In a minute the trap was found, and raised. The smoke rushed up ina volume, and the boys looked with dismay at the dense murk below. 

"It's got to be done, Hugh. Tie that bit of sacking, quick, overyour nose and mouth, while I do the same. Now lower yourself byyour arms, and drop; it won't be above fifteen feet. Hold yourbreath, and rush straight to the window. I heard them open it. Now, both together now. "

The lads fell over their feet, and were in another minute at thewindow. The broad top of the great wheel stretched out level withthem, hiding the window from those who might have been standingbelow. The wheel itself was some thirty feet in diameter, and wassunk nearly half its depth in the ground, the water running off bya deep tail race. 

"We might lie flat on the top of the wheel, " Hugh said. 

"We should be roasted to death when the mill is fairly in flames. No, Hugh; we must squeeze through this space between the wall andthe wheel, slip down by the framework, and keep inside the wheel. There is no fear of that burning, and we shall get plenty of freshair down below the level of the mill. 

"I will go first, Hugh. Mind how you go, for these beams are allslimy; get your arm well round, and slip down as far as the axle. "

It was not an easy thing to do, and Rupert lost his hold andslipped down the last ten feet, hurting himself a good deal in hisfall. He was soon on his feet again, and helped to break the fallof Hugh, who lost his hold and footing at the axle, and would havehurt himself greatly, had not Rupert caught him, both boys fallingwith a crash in the bottom of the wheel. 

They were some little time before regaining their feet, for bothwere much hurt. Their movements were, however, accelerated by thewater, which fell in a heavy shower from above, through the leaksin the buckets of the wheel. 

"Are you hurt much, Master Rupert?"

"I don't think I am broken at all, Hugh, but I am hurt all over. How are you?"

"I am all right, I think. It's lucky the inside of this wheel ispretty smooth, like a big drum. "

The position was not a pleasant one. A heavy shower of water fromabove filled the air with spray, and with their heads bent down itwas difficult to breathe. The inside planks of the wheel were soslimy that standing was almost impossible, and at the slightestattempt at movement they fell. Above, the flames were alreadydarting out through the windows and sides of the mill. 

"Do you not think we might crawl out between the wheel and thewall, and make our way down the tail race, Master Rupert? Thiswater is chilling me to the bones. "

"I think it safer to stop where we are, Hugh. Those fellows aresure to be on the watch. They will expect to see us jump out of theupper window the last thing, and will wait to throw our bodies--forof course we should be killed--into the flames, to hide all traceof us. We have only to wait quietly here. It is not pleasant; butafter all the trouble we have had to save our lives, it would be apity to risk them again. And I have a very particular desire to beeven with that fellow, who is, I doubt not, at the bottom of allthis. "

Soon the flames were rushing out in great sheets from the mill, andeven in the wheel the heat of the atmosphere was considerable. Presently a great crash was heard inside. 

"There is a floor fallen, " Rupert said. "I think we may move now;those fellows will have made off secure that--

"Hullo! What's that?"

The exclamation was caused by a sudden creaking noise, and thegreat wheel began slowly to revolve. The fall of the floor hadbroken its connection with the machinery in the mill, and leftfree, it at once yielded to the weight of the water in its buckets. The supply of water coming down was small, and the wheel stiff fromlong disuse, therefore it moved but slowly. The motion, however, threw both lads from their feet, and once down, the rotatory motionrendered it impossible for them to regain their feet. 

After the first cry of surprise, neither spoke; across both theirminds rushed the certainty of death. 

How long the terrible time that followed lasted, neither of themever knew. The sensation was that of being pounded to death. At onemoment they were together, then separated; now rolling over andover in a sort of ball, then lifted up and cast down into thebottom of the wheel with a crash; now with their heads highest, nowwith their feet. It was like a terrible nightmare; but graduallythe sharp pain of the blows and falls were less vivid--a dullsensation came over them--and both lost consciousness. 

Rupert was the first to open his eyes, and for a time lay but indreamy wonder as to where he was, and what had happened. He seemedto be lying under a great penthouse, with a red glow pervadingeverything. Gradually his thoughts took shape, and he rememberedwhat had passed, and struggling painfully into a sitting position, looked round. 

The wheel no longer revolved; there was no longer the constantsplash of water. Indeed the wheel existed as a wheel no longer. 

As he looked round the truth lighted upon him. The burning mill hadfallen across the wheel, crushing, at the top, the sides together. The massive timber had given no further, and the wheel formed asort of roof, sloping from the outer wall, built solidly up againstit, to the opposite foot. Above, the timber of this wall glared andflickered, but the soddened timber of the wheel could have resisteda far greater amount of heat. The leet had of course been carriedaway with the fall, and the water would be flowing down the valley. The heat was very great, but the rush of air up the deep cut of themill race rendered it bearable. 

Having once grasped the facts--and as he doubted not the fall musthave occurred soon after he lost consciousness, and so saved himfrom being bruised to death--Rupert turned to Hugh. 

He was quite insensible, but his heart still beat. Rupert crawledout of the wheel, and found pools of water in the mill race, fromwhich he brought double handfuls, and sprinkled Hugh's face. Thenas he himself grew stronger from fresh air and a copious dousing ofhis face and head with water, he dragged Hugh out, and laying himbeside a pool dashed water on his face and chest. A deep sigh wasthe first symptom of returning consciousness. He soon, to Rupert'sdelight, opened his eyes. 

After a time he sat up, but was too much hurt to rise. After someconsultation, Rupert left him, and went alone down to the hamlet ofDettinheim, where, after much knocking, he roused some of theinhabitants, who had only a short time before returned from theburning mill. Sodden and discoloured as it was, Rupert's uniformwas still recognizable, and by the authority this conveyed, and apromise of ample reward, four men were induced to return with himto the mill, and carry Hugh down to the village. 

This they reached just as the distant clock of Liege cathedralstruck two. A bed was given up to them, and in half an hour bothlads were sound asleep. 

Chapter 9: The Duel. 

Great was the excitement in the 5th Dragoons when, upon the arrivalof Rupert and Hugh--the former of whom was able to ride, but thelatter was carried by on a stretcher--they learned the attack whichhad been made upon one of their officers. The "Little Cornet" was ageneral favourite, short as was the time since he had joined; whileHugh was greatly liked by the men of his own troop. Rupert'scolonel at once sent for him, to learn the particulars of theoutrage. Rupert was unable to give farther particulars as to hisassailants than that they were German soldiers; that much the dimlight had permitted him to see, but more than that he could notsay. He stated his reasons for believing Sir Richard Fulke was theoriginator of the attack, since he had had a quarrel with him inEngland, but owned that, beyond suspicions, he had no proof. Thecolonel at once rode down to headquarters, and laid a complaintbefore the Earl of Athlone, who promised that he would cause everyinquiry to be made. Then the general commanding the Hessecontingent was communicated with, and the colonel of the cavalryregiment to which Sir Richard Fulke belonged was sent for. 

He stated that Captain Fulke had been away on leave of absence forthree days, and that he had gone to England. The regiment was, however, paraded, and it was found that five troopers were missing. No inquiry, however, could elicit from any of the others aconfession that they had been engaged in any fray, and as all werereported as having been in by ten o'clock, except the five missingmen, there was no clue as to the parties engaged. The five menmight have deserted, but the grounds for suspicion were verystrong. Still, as no proof could be obtained, the matter wassuffered to drop. 

The affair caused, however, much bad feeling between the tworegiments, and the men engaged in affrays when they met, until theorder was issued that they should only be allowed leave into thetown on alternate days. This ill feeling spread, however, beyondthe regiments concerned. There had already been a good deal ofjealousy upon the part of the Continental troops of the honourgained by the British in being first in at the breaches of Venlooand Liege, and this feeling was now much embittered. Duels betweenthe officers became matters of frequent occurrence, in spite of thestrict orders issued against that practice. 

As Rupert had anticipated, the letter by which he had beenentrapped turned out a forgery. Lord Fairholm was extremelyindignant when he heard the use that had been made of his name, andat once made inquiries as to the trooper who had carried the noteto Rupert. This man he found without difficulty; upon beingquestioned, he stated that he had just returned from carrying amessage when he was accosted by a German officer who offered him acouple of marks to carry a letter up to an officer of the 5thdragoons. Thinking that there was no harm in doing so, he had atonce accepted the offer. Upon being asked if he could recognize theofficer if he saw him, he replied that he had scarcely noticed hisface, and did not think that he could pick him out from others. 

The first three or four duels which took place had not beenattended with fatal result; but about three weeks after theoccurrence of the attack on Rupert, Captain Muller, who had beenaway on leave, returned, and publicly announced his intention ofavenging the insult to his regiment by insulting and killing one ofthe officers of the 5th dragoons. 

The report of the threat caused some uneasiness among the officers, for the fellow's reputation as a swordsman and notorious duellistwas so well known, that it was felt that any one whom he mightselect as his antagonist would be as good as a dead man. Aproposition was started to report the matter to the general, butthis was decisively negatived, as it would have looked like arequest for protection, and would so affect the honour of theregiment. 

There was the satisfaction that but one victim could be slain, forthe aggressor in a fatal duel was sure to be punished by removalinto some corps stationed at a distance. 

Rupert was silent during these discussions, but he silentlydetermined that he would, if the opportunity offered, take up thegauntlet, for he argued that he was the primary cause of the feud;and remembering the words of Monsieur Dessin and Maitre Dalboy, hethought that, skillful a swordsman as Muller might be, he would yethave at least a fair chance of victory, while he knew that so muchcould not be said for any of the other officers of his regiment. 

The opportunity occurred two days later. Rupert, with his friendDillon, went down to the large saloon, which was the usualrendezvous with his friends Fairholm and Loveday. The place wascrowded with officers, but Rupert soon perceived his friends, sitting at a small table. He and Dillon placed two chairs therealso, and were engaged in conversation when a sudden lull in thebuzz of talk caused them to look up. 

Captain Muller had just entered the saloon with a friend, and thelull was caused by curiosity. As his boast had been the matter ofpublic talk; and as all noticed that two officers of the 5th werepresent, it was anticipated that a scene would ensue. 

A glance at Dillon's face showed that the blood had left his cheek;for, brave as the Irishman was, the prospect of being killed like adog by this native swordsman could not but be terrible to him, andhe did not doubt for a moment that he would be selected. CaptainMuller walked leisurely up to the bar, drank off a bumper of rawGeneva, and then turned and looked round the room. As his eyes fellon the uniform of the 5th, a look of satisfaction came over hisface, and fixing his eyes on Dillon, he walked leisurely across theroom. 

Rupert happened to be sitting on the outside of the table, and heat once rose and as calmly advanced towards the German. 

There was now a dead silence in the room, and all listened intentlyto hear what the lad had to say to the duellist. Rupert spokefirst; and although he did not raise his voice in the slightest, not a sound was lost from one end of the room to the other. 

"Captain Muller, " he said, "I hear that you have made a boast thatyou will kill the first officer of my regiment whom you met. I am, I think, the first, and you have now the opportunity of provingwhether you are a mere cutthroat, or a liar. "

A perfect gasp of astonishment was heard in the room. Dillon leaptto his feet, exclaiming, "No, Rupert, I will not allow it! I amyour senior officer. "

And the gallant fellow would have pushed forward, had not LordFairholm put his hand on his shoulder and forced him back, saying:

"Leave him alone; he knows what he is doing. "

The German took a step back, with a hoarse exclamation of rage andsurprise at Rupert's address, and put his hand to his sword. Then, making a great effort to master his fury, he said:

"You are safe in crowing loud, little cockerel; but Captain Mullerdoes not fight with boys. "

A murmur of approval ran round the room; for the prospect of thislad standing up to be killed by so noted a swordsman was painfulalike to the German and English officers present. 

"The same spirit appears to animate you and your friend Sir RichardFulke, " Rupert said quietly. "He did not care about fighting a boy, and so employed a dozen of his soldiers to murder him. "

"It is a lie!" the captain thundered, "Beware, young sir, how youtempt me too far. "

"You know it is not a lie, " Rupert said calmly. "I know he told youhe was afraid to fight me, for that I was more than his match; andit seems to me, sir, that this seeming pity for my youth is a merecover of the fact that you would rather choose as your victimsomeone less skilled in fence than I happen to be. Are you acoward, too, sir, as well as a ruffian?"

"Enough!" the German gasped. 

"Swartzberg, " he said, turning to his friend, "make thearrangements; for I vow I will kill this insolent puppy in themorning. "

Lord Fairholm at once stepped forward to the Hessian captain. 

"I shall have the honour to act as Mr. Holliday's second. Here ismy card. I shall be at home all the evening. "

Rupert now resumed his seat, while Captain Muller and his friendmoved to the other end of the saloon. Here he was surrounded by anumber of German officers, who endeavoured to dissuade him fromfighting a duel in which the killing of his adversary would becondemned by the whole army as child murder. 

"Child or not, " he said ferociously, "he dies tomorrow. You thinkhe was mad to insult me. It was conceit, not madness. His head isturned; a fencing master once praised his skill at fence, and hethinks himself a match for me--me! the best swordsman, though I sayit, in the German army. No, I would not have forced a quarrel onhim, for he is beneath my notice; but I am right glad that he hastaken up the glove I meant to throw down to his fellow. In killinghim I shall not only have punished the only person who has for manyyears ventured to insult Otto Muller, but I shall have done aservice to a friend. "

No sooner had Rupert regained his seat than Dillon exclaimed, "Rupert, I shall never forgive myself. Others think you are mad, but I know that you sacrifice yourself to save me. 

"You did me an ill service, my lord, " he said, turning to LordFairholm, "by holding me back when I would have taken my properplace. I shall never hold up my head again. But it will not be forlong, for when he has killed Rupert I will seek him wherever he maygo, and force him to kill me, too. "

"My dear Dillon, I knew what I was doing, " Lord Fairholm said. "Itwas clear that either he or you had to meet this German cutthroat. "

"But, " Dillon asked, in astonishment, "why would you rather thatyour friend Rupert should be killed than I?"

"You are not putting the case fairly, " Lord Fairholm said. "Did itstand so, I should certainly prefer that you should run this riskthan that Rupert should do so. But the case stands thus. In thefirst place, it is really his quarrel; and in the second, while itis certain that this German could kill you without fail, it is byno means certain that he will kill Rupert. "

Dillon's eyes opened with astonishment. 

"Not kill him! Do you think that he will spare him after the way hehas been insulted before all of us?"

"No, there is little chance of that. It is his power, not his will, that I doubt. I do not feel certain; far from it, I regard theissue as doubtful; and yet I feel a strong confidence in theresult; for you must know, Master Dillon, that Rupert Holliday, boyas he is, is probably the best swordsman in the British army. "

"Rupert Holliday!" ejaculated Dillon, incredulously. 

Lord Fairholm nodded. 

"It is as I say, Dillon; and although they say this German is alsothe best in his, his people are in no way famous that way. Had itbeen with the best swordsman in the French army that Rupert had tofight, my mind would be less at ease. 

"But come now, we have finished our liquor and may as well be off. We are the centre of all eyes here, and it is not pleasant to be ageneral object of pity, even when that pity is ill bestowed. Besides, I have promised to be at home to wait for Muller's second. 

"I will come round to your quarters, Rupert, when I have arrangedtime and place. "

The calm and assured manner of Rupert's two friends did more toconvince Dillon that they were speaking in earnest, and that theyreally had confidence in Rupert's skill, than any asseveration ontheir part could have done, but he was still astounded at the newsthat this boy friend of his, who had never even mentioned that hecould fence, could by any possibility be not only a first-rateswordsman, but actually a fair match for this noted duellist. 

Upon the way up to the barracks, Rupert persuaded his friend to saynothing as to his skill, but it was found impossible to remainsilent, for when the officers heard of the approaching duel therewas a universal cry of indignation, and the colonel at once avowedhis intention of riding off to Lord Athlone to request him to put astop to a duel which could be nothing short of murder. 

"The honour of the regiment shall not suffer, " he said, sternly, "for I myself will meet this German cutthroat. "

Seeing that his colonel was resolute, Rupert made a sign to Dillonthat he might speak, and he accordingly related to his astonishedcomrades the substance of what Lord Fairholm had told him. Rupert'sbrother officers could not believe the news; but Rupert suggestedthat the matter could be easily settled if some foils were brought, adding that half-an-hour's fencing would be useful to him, and gethis hand into work again. The proposal was agreed to, and first oneand then another of those recognized as the best swordsmen of theregiment, took their places against him, but without exertinghimself in the slightest, he proved himself so infinitely theirsuperior that their doubts speedily changed into admiration, andthe meeting of the morrow was soon regarded with a feeling of notonly hope, but confidence. 

It was late before Lord Fairholm rode up to the cornet's. 

"Did you think I was never coming?" he asked as he entered Rupert'squarters. "The affair has created quite an excitement, and just asI was starting, two hours back, a message came to me to go toheadquarters. I found his lordship in a great passion, and he ratedme soundly, I can tell you, for undertaking to be second in such adisgracefully uneven contest as this. When he had had his say, ofcourse I explained matters, pointed out that this German bully wasa nuisance to the whole army, and that you being, as I myself couldvouch, a sort of phenomenon with the sword, had taken the matter upto save your brother officer from being killed. I assured him thatI had the highest authority for your being one of the bestswordsmen in Europe, and that therefore I doubted not that you werea match for this German. I also pointed out respectfully to himthat if he were to interfere to stop it, as he had intended, thematter would be certain to lead to many more meetings between theofficers of the two nationalities. Upon this the general after sometalk decided to allow the matter to go on, but said that whicheverway it went he would write to the generals commanding all thedivisions of the allied army, and would publish a general order tothe effect that henceforth no duels shall be permitted except afterthe dispute being referred to a court of honour of five seniorofficers, by whom the necessity or otherwise of the duel shall bedetermined; and that in the case of any duel fought without suchpreliminary, both combatants shall be dismissed the service, whether the wounds given be serious or not. I think the proposal isan excellent one, and likely to do much good; for in a mixed armylike ours, causes for dispute and jealousy are sure to arise, andwithout some stringent regulation we should be always fightingamong ourselves. "

At an early hour on the following morning a stranger would havesupposed that some great military spectacle was about to takeplace, so large was the number of officers riding from Liege andthe military stations around it towards the place fixed upon forthe duel. The event had created a very unusual amount ofexcitement, because, in the first place, the attempt to murderRupert at the mill of Dettinheim had created much talk. Theintention of Captain Muller to force a quarrel on the officers ofthe 5th had also been a matter of public comment, while the mannerin which the young cornet of that regiment had taken up the gage, added to the extraordinary inequality between the combatants, gavea special character to the duel. 

It was eight in the morning when Rupert Holliday rode up to theplace fixed upon, a quiet valley some three miles from the town. Onthe slopes of hills on either side were gathered some two or threehundred officers, English, Dutch, and German, the bottom of thevalley, which was some forty yards across, being left clear. Therewas, however, none of the life and animation which generallycharacterize a military gathering. The British officers lookedsombre and stern at what they deemed nothing short of theapproaching murder of their gallant young countryman; and theGermans were grave and downcast, for they felt ashamed of theinequality of the contest. Among both parties there was earnestthough quiet talk of arresting the duel, but such a step would havebeen absolutely unprecedented. 

The arrival of the officers of the 5th, who rode up in a body a fewminutes before Rupert arrived with Lord Fairholm and his friendDillon, somewhat changed the aspect of affairs, for their cheerfulfaces showed that from some cause, at which the rest were unable toguess, they by no means regarded the death of their comrade as aforegone event. As they alighted and gave their horses to theorderlies who had followed them, their acquaintances gathered roundthem full of expressions of indignation and regret at theapproaching duel. 

"Is there any chance of this horrible business being stopped?" anold colonel asked Colonel Forbes as he alighted. "There is a reportthat the general has got wind of it, and will at the last momentput an end to it by arresting both of them. "

"No, I fancy that the matter will go on, " Colonel Forbes said. 

"But it is murder, " Colonel Chambers said indignantly. 

"Not so much murder as you think, Chambers, for I tell you this ladis simply a marvel with his sword. "

"Ah, " the colonel said. "I had not heard that; but in no case coulda lad like this have a chance with this Muller, a man who has notonly the reputation of being the best swordsman in Germany, who nowhas been in something like thirty duels, and has more than twentytimes killed his man. "

"I know the ruffian's skill and address, " Colonel Forbes said; "andyet I tell you that I regard my young friend's chance as by nomeans desperate. "

Similar assurances had some effect in raising the spirits of theEnglish officers; still they refused to believe that a lad like arecently joined cornet could have any real chance with the notedduellist, and their hopes faded away altogether when Rupert rodeup. He was, of course, a stranger to most of those present, and hissmooth boyish face and slight figure struck them with pity anddismay. 

Rupert, however, although a little pale, seemed more cheerful thananyone on the ground, and smiled and talked to Lord Fairholm andDillon as if awaiting the commencement of an ordinary militaryparade. 

"That is a gallant young fellow, " was the universal exclamation ofmost of those present, whatever their nationality. "He faces deathas calmly as if he were ignorant of his danger. "

Five minutes later Captain Muller rode up, with his second; and thepreparations for the conflict at once began. 

All except the combatants and their seconds retired to the slopes. Lord Fairholm and Captain Swartzberg stood in the middle of thebottom. Rupert stood back at a short distance, talking quietly withDillon and his colonel; while Captain Muller walked about near thefoot of the slope, loudly saluting those present with whom he wasacquainted. 

There was but little loss of time in choosing the ground, for thebottom of the valley was flat and smooth, and the sun was concealedbeneath a grey bank of clouds, which covered the greater part ofthe sky, so that there was no advantage of light. 

When all was arranged the length of the swords was measured. Bothhad come provided with a pair of duelling rapiers, and as all fourweapons were of excellent temper and of exactly even length, nodifficulty was met with here. Then a deep hush fell upon thegathering as the seconds returned to their principals. 

It had been arranged by the seconds that they should not fight inuniform, as the heavy boots impeded their action. Both wereaccordingly attired in evening dress. Rupert wore dark puce satinbreeches, white stockings, and very light buckled shoes. Hisopponent was in bright orange-coloured breeches, with stockings tomatch. Coats and waistcoats were soon removed, and the shirtsleeves rolled up above the elbow. 

As they took stand face to face, something like a groan wentthrough the spectators. Rupert stood about five feet nine, slight, active, with smooth face, and head covered with short curls. TheGerman stood six feet high, with massive shoulders, and armscovered with muscle. His huge moustache was twisted upwards towardshis ears; his hair was cropped short, and stood erect all over hishead. It was only among a few of the shrewder onlookers that thefull value of the tough, whipcordy look of Rupert's frame, and theextreme activity promised by his easy pose, were appreciated. Thegeneral opinion went back to the former verdict, that the disparitywas so great that, even putting aside the German's well-knownskill, the duel was little short of murder. 

Just before they stood on guard, Captain Muller said, in a loudvoice, "Now, sir, if you have any prayer to say, say it; for I warnyou, I will kill you like a dog. "

A cry of "Shame!" arose from the entire body of spectators; when itabated Rupert said, quietly but clearly, "My prayers are said, Captain Muller. If yours are not, say them now, for assuredly Iwill kill you--not as a dog, for a dog is a true and faithfulanimal, but as I would kill a tiger, or any other beast whoseexistence was a scourge to mankind. "

A cheer of approbation arose from the circle; and with a groan ofrage Captain Muller took his stand. Rupert faced him in an instant, and their swords crossed. For a short time the play was exceedinglycautious on both sides, each trying to find out his opponent'sstrength. Hitherto the German had thought but little of what Fulkehad told him that he had heard, of Rupert's skill; but the calm andconfident manner of the young Englishman now impressed him with theidea that he really, boy as he was, must be something out of thecommon way. The thought in no way abated his own assurance, itmerely taught him that it would be wiser to play cautiously atfirst, instead of, as he had intended, making a fierce and rapidattack at once, and finishing the struggle almost as soon as itbegan. 

The lightning speed with which his first thrusts were parried andreturned soon showed him the wisdom of the course he had adopted;and the expression of arrogant disdain with which he had commencedthe fight speedily changed to one of care and determination. Thisinsolent boy was to be killed, but the operation must not becarelessly carried out. 

For a time he attempted by skillful play to get through Rupert'sguard, but the lad's sword always met him; and its point flashed soquickly and vengefully forward, that several times it was only byquick backward springs that he escaped from it. 

The intense, but silent excitement among the spectators increasedwith every thrust and parry; and every nerve seemed to tingle inunison with the sharp clink of the swords. The German nowendeavoured to take advantage of his superior height, length ofarm, and strength, to force down Rupert's guard; but the latterslipped away from him, bounding as lightly as a cat out of range, and returning with such rapid and elastic springs, that the Germanwas in turn obliged to use his utmost activity to get back out ofreach. 

So far several slight scratches had been given on both sides, butnothing in any way to affect the combatants. As the strugglecontinued, gaining every moment in earnestness and effort, a lookof anxiety gradually stole over the German's face, and theperspiration stood thick on his forehead. He knew now that he hadmet his match; and an internal feeling told him that although hehad exerted himself to the utmost, his opponent had not yet put outhis full strength and skill. 

Rupert's face was unchanged since the swords had crossed. His mouthwas set, but in a half smile; his eye was bright; and his demeanourrather that of a lad fencing with buttoned foils than that of onecontending for his life against a formidable foe. 

Now thoroughly aware of his opponent's strength and tactics, Rupertbegan to press the attack, and foot by foot drove his opponent backto the spot at which the combat had commenced. Then, after a fiercerally, he gave an opening; the German lunged, Rupert threw back hisbody with the rapidity of lightning, lunging also as he did so. Hisopponent's sword grazed his cheek as it passed, while his own ranthrough the German's body until the hilt struck it. Muller fellwithout a word, an inert mass; and the surgeon running up, pronounced that life was already extinct. 

The crowd of spectators now flocked down, the English withdifficulty repressing their exclamations of delight, andcongratulated Rupert on the result, which to them appeared almostmiraculous; while the senior German officer present came up to him, and said:

"Although Captain Muller was a countryman of mine, sir, I rejoicein the unexpected result of this duel. It has rid our army of a manwho was a scourge to it. "

Plasters and bandages were now applied to Rupert's wounds; and in afew minutes the whole party had left the valley, one German orderlyalone remaining to watch the body of the dead duellist until aparty could be sent out to convey it to the town for burial. 

Chapter 10: The Battle Of The Dykes. 

For some time after his duel with Captain Muller, it is probablethat the little cornet was, after Marlborough himself, the mostpopular man in the British army in Flanders. He, however, bore hishonours quietly, shrinking from notice, and seldom going down intothe town. Any mention of the duel was painful to him; for althoughhe considered that he was perfectly justified in taking up thequarrel forced upon his regiment, yet he sincerely regretted thathe should have been obliged to kill a man, however dangerous andobnoxious, in cold blood. 

Two days after the duel he received a letter from his grandfather. It was only the second he had received. In the previous letterColonel Holliday alluded to something which he had said in a priorcommunication, and Rupert had written back to say that no suchletter had come to hand. The answer ran as follows:

"My dear Grandson--Your letter has duly come to hand. I regret tofind that my first to you miscarried, and by comparing dates Ithink that it must have been lost in the wreck of the brig Flora, which was lost in a tempest on her way to Holland a few days afterI wrote. This being so, you are ignorant of the changes which havetaken place here, and which affect yourself in no slight degree. 

"The match between your lady mother and Sir William Brownlow is brokenoff. This took place just after you sailed for the wars. It was broughtabout by our friend, Monsieur Dessin. This gentleman--who is, althoughI know not his name, a French nobleman of title and distinction--received, about the time you left, the news that he might shortly expect to hearthat the decree which had sent him into exile was reversed. Some littletime later a compatriot of his came down to stay with him. MonsieurDessin, who I know cherished ill feeling against Sir William for theinsult which his son had passed upon his daughter, and for variousbelittling words respecting that young lady which Sir William hadin his anger permitted himself to use in public, took occasion whenhe was riding through the streets of Derby, accompanied by hisfriends, Lord Pomeroy and Sir John Hawkes, gentlemen of fashion andrepute, to accost him. Sir William swore at him as a French dancingmaster; whereupon Monsieur Dessin at once challenged him to a duel. Sir William refused with many scornful words to meet a man of suchkind, whereupon Monsieur Dessin, drawing Lord Pomeroy to him, inconfidence disclosed his name and quality, to which hiscompatriot--also a French nobleman--testified, and of which heoffered to produce documents and proofs. They did then adjourn to atavern, where they called for a private room, to talk the matterover out of earshot of the crowd; and after examining the proofs, Lord Pomeroy and Sir John Hawkes declared that Sir William Brownlowcould not refuse the satisfaction which Monsieur Dessin demanded. 

"It has always been suspected that Sir William was a man of smallcourage, though of overbearing manner, and he was mightily put towhen he heard that he must fight with a man whom he justly regardedas being far more than his match. So craven did he become, indeed, that the gentlemen with him did not scruple to express theirdisgust loudly. Monsieur Dessin said that, unless Sir William didafford him satisfaction, he would trounce him publicly as a coward, but that he had one other alternative to offer. All were mightilysurprised when he stated that this alternative was that he shouldwrite a letter to Mistress Holliday renouncing all claim to herhand. This Sir William for a time refused to do, blustering much;but finally, having no stomach for a fight, and fearing theindignity of a public whipping, he did consent so to do; andMonsieur Dessin having called for paper and pens, the letter wasthen written, and the four gentlemen signed as witnesses. The partythen separated, Lord Pomeroy and Sir John Hawkes riding off withoutexchanging another word with Sir William Brownlow. 

"Your lady mother was in a great taking when she received theletter, and learned the manner in which it had come to be written. Monsieur Dessin left the town, with his daughter, two days later. He came over to take farewell of me, and expressed himself withgreat feeling and heartiness as to the kindness which he was goodenough to say that I had shown him. I assured him, as you maybelieve, that the action he had forced Mistress Holliday's suitorto take left me infinitely his debtor. 

"He promised to write to me from France, whither he was about toreturn. He said that he regretted much that a vow he had sworn tokeep his name unknown in England, save and except his honour shouldcompel him to disclose it, prevented him from telling it; but thathe would in the future let me know it. After it was known that hehad left, Sir William Brownlow again attempted to make advances toyour lady mother; but she, who lacks not spirit, repulsed him soscornfully that all fear of any future entanglement in that quarteris at an end; at the which I have rejoiced mightily, although theChace, now that you have gone, is greatly changed to me. 

"Farmer Parsons sends his duty to you, and his love to Hugh. Ithink that it would not be ill taken if, in a short time, you wereto write to Mistress Holliday. Make no mention of her brokenespousal, which is a subject upon which she cares not to touch. TheEarl of Marlborough has been good enough to write me a letterspeaking in high terms of you. This I handed to her to read, andalthough she said no word when she handed it back, I could see thatshe was much moved. 

"My pen runs not so fast as it did. I will therefore now conclude. 

"YOUR LOVING GRANDFATHER. "

This letter gave great pleasure to Rupert, not because it restoredto him the succession of the estates of the Chace, for of that hethought but little, but because his mother was saved from a matchwhich would, he felt sure, have been an unhappy one for her. 

The winter passed off quietly, and with the spring the two armiesagain took the field. The campaign of 1803 was, like itspredecessor, marred by the pusillanimity and indecision of theDutch deputies, who thwarted all Marlborough's schemes for bringingthe French to a general engagement, and so ruined the Englishgeneral's most skillful plans, that the earl, worn out bydisappointment and disgust, wrote to the Queen, praying to berelieved of his command and allowed to retire into private life, and finally only remained at his post at his mistress's earnestentreaty. 

The campaign opened with the siege of Bonn, a strongly fortifiedtown held by the French, and of great importance to them, as beingthe point by which they kept open communication between France andtheir strong army in Germany. Marlborough himself commanded thesiege operations, having under him forty battalions, sixtysquadrons, and a hundred guns. General Overkirk, who, owing to thedeath of the Earl of Athlone, was now second in command, commandedthe covering army, which extended from Liege to Bonn. 

The siege commenced on the 3rd of May, and with such vigour was itcarried on that on the 9th the fort on the opposite side of theRhine was carried by storm; and as from this point the worksdefending the town could all be taken in reverse, the placesurrendered on the 5th; the garrison, 3600 strong, being permittedby the terms of capitulation to retire to Luxemburg. 

Marshal Villeroi, who commanded the French army on the frontier, finding that he could give no aid to Bonn, advanced againstMaestrich, which he hoped to surprise, before Overkirk could arriveto its aid. On the way, however, he had to take the town ofTangres, which was held by two battalions of infantry only. These, however, defended themselves with astonishing bravery against theefforts of a whole army, and for twenty-eight hours of continuousfighting arrested the course of the enemy. At the end of that timethey were forced to surrender, but the time gained by their heroicdefence afforded time for Overkirk to bring up his army, and whenVilleroi arrived near Maestrich, he found the allies already there, and so strongly posted that although his force was fully twice asstrong as theirs, he did not venture to attack. 

Marlborough, upon the fall of Bonn, marched with the greatestexpedition to the assistance of his colleague. His cavalry reachedMaestrich on the 21st, his infantry three days later. On the 26thof May he broke up the camp and advanced to undertake the grandoperation of the siege of Antwerp. The operation was to beundertaken by a simultaneous advance of several columns. Marlborough himself with the main wing was to confront MarshalVilleroi. General Spaar was to attack that part of the French lineswhich lay beyond the Scheldt. Cohorn was to force the passage ofthat river in the territory of Hulst, and unite Spaar's attack withthat of Obdam, who with twenty-one battalions and sixteen squadronswas to advance from Bergen op Zoom. 

The commencement of this operation was well conducted. On the nightof the 26th Cohorn passed the Scheldt, and the next morning he andSpaar made a combined attack on that part of the French linesagainst which they had been ordered to act, and carried them aftersevere fighting and the loss of 1200 men. Upon the following daythe Earl of Marlborough, riding through the camp, saw RupertHolliday, standing at the door of his tent. Beckoning him to him, he said:

"Would you like a ride round Antwerp, Master Holliday? I have aletter which I desire carried to General Obdam, whose force is atEckeron on the north of the city. "

Upon Rupert saying that he should like it greatly, the earl badehim be at his quarters in an hour's time. 

"There is the dispatch, " he said, when Rupert called upon him. "Youwill give this to the general himself. I consider his position asdangerous, for Marshal Villeroi may throw troops into the town, andin that case the Marquis Bedmar may fall in great force upon any ofour columns now lying around him. I have warned Obdam of hisdanger, and have begged him to send back his heavy baggage, to takeup a strong position, and if the enemy advance in force to fallback to Bergen op Zoom. Should the general question you, you cansay that you are aware of the terms of the dispatch, and that I hadbegged you to assure the general that my uneasiness on his accountwas considerable. "

The general then pointed out to Rupert on a map the route that heshould take so as to make a sweep round Antwerp, and warned him touse every precaution, and to destroy the dispatch if there shouldbe danger of his being captured. 

"Am I to return at once, sir?"

"No, " the earl said. "If all goes well we shall in three daysinvest the place, advancing on all sides, and you can rejoin yourcorps when the armies unite. "

Rupert's horse was already saddled on his return, and Hugh was inreadiness to accompany him as his orderly. 

It was a thirty miles ride, and it was evening before he reachedEckeron, having seen no enemy on his line of route. 

He was at once conducted to the quarters of the Dutch general, whoreceived him politely, and read the dispatch which he had brought. It did not strike Rupert that he was much impressed with itscontents, but he made no remark, and simply requested one of hisstaff to see to Rupert's wants, and to have a tent pitched for him. 

He spent a pleasant evening with the Dutch general's staff, most ofwhom could talk French, while Hugh was hospitably entertained bythe sergeants of the staff. 

The next morning the tents were struck, and the heavy baggage was, in accordance with Lord Marlborough's orders, sent to the fortressof Bergen op Zoom. But, to Rupert's surprise and uneasiness, noattempt was made to carry out the second part of the instructioncontained in the dispatch. 

The day passed quietly, and at night the party were very merryround a campfire. At eight o'clock next morning a horseman rodeinto camp with the news that the French were attacking the rear, and that the army was cut off from the Scheldt!

The Earl of Marlborough's prevision had proved correct. The Frenchmarshals had determined to take advantage of their centralposition, and to crush one of their enemy's columns. On the eveningof the 29th, Marshal Villeroi detached Marshal Boufflers withthirty companies of grenadiers and thirty squadrons of horse. Thesemarching all night reached Antwerp at daybreak without interruption, and uniting with the force under the Marquis Bedmar, issued out30, 000 strong to attack Obdam. Sending off detached columns, whomoved round, and--unseen by the Dutch, who acted with as greatcarelessness as if their foes had been 500 miles away--he tookpossession of the roads on the dykes leading not only to Fort Lilleon the Scheldt, but to Bergen op Zoom, and fell suddenly upon theDutch army on all sides. 

Scarcely had the messenger ridden into Eckeron, when a tremendousroar of musketry broke out in all quarters, and the desperateposition into which the supineness of their general had sufferedthem to fall, was apparent to all. 

In a few minutes the confusion was terrible. Rupert and Hughhastily saddled their horses, and had just mounted when GeneralObdam with twenty troopers rode past at full gallop. 

"Where can he be going?" Rupert said. "He is not riding towardseither of the points attacked. "

"It seems to me that he is bolting, Master Rupert, just flying bysome road the French have not yet occupied. "

"Impossible!" Rupert said. 

But it was so, and the next day the runaway general himself broughtthe news of his defeat to the League, announcing that he hadescaped with thirty horse, and that the rest of his army wasdestroyed. It is needless to say that General Obdam neverafterwards commanded a Dutch army in the field. 

The second part of the news which he brought the Hague was notcorrect. General Schlangenberg, the second in command, at onceassumed the command. The Dutch rallied speedily from theirsurprise, and the advancing columns of the enemy were soon met witha desperate resistance. In front General Boufflers attacked withtwenty battalions of French troops, headed by the grenadiers he hadbrought with him, while a strong Spanish force barred the retreat. Under such circumstances many troops would at once have laid downtheir arms; but such a thought never occurred to the Dutchmen ofSchlangenberg's army. 

While a portion of this force opposed Boufflers' troops pressing ontheir front, the rest threw themselves against those who barredtheir retreat to Fort Lille. Never was there more desperatefighting. Nowhere could ground have been selected more unsuited fora battlefield. 

It was by the roads alone running upon the dykes above the generallevel of the country the troops could advance or retreat, and itwas upon these that the heads of the heavy columns struggled forvictory. 

There was little firing. The men in front had no time to reload, those behind could not fire because their friends were before them. It was a fierce hand-to-hand struggle, such as might have takenplace on the same ground in the middle ages, before gunpowder wasin use. Bayonets and clubbed muskets, these were the weapons onboth sides, while dismounted troopers--for horses were worse thanuseless here, mixed up with the infantry--fought with swords. Onthe roads, on the sides of the slopes, waist deep in the water ofthe ditches, men fought hand-to-hand. Schlangenberg commanded atthe spot where the Dutchmen obstinately and stubbornly resisted thefury of the French onslaught, and even the chosen grenadiers ofFrance failed to break down that desperate defence. 

All day the battle raged. Rupert having no fixed duty rodebackwards and forwards along the roads, now watching how went thedefence against the French attack, now how the Dutch in vain triedto press back the Spaniards and open a way of retreat. Late in theafternoon he saw a party of the staff officers pressing towards therear on foot. 

"We are going to try to get to the head of the column, " one said toRupert. "We must force back the Spaniards, or we are all lost. "

"I will join you, " Rupert said, leaping from his horse. 

"Hugh, give me my pistols and take your own; leave the horses, andcome with me. "

It took upwards of an hour to make their way along the dyke, sometimes pushing forward between the soldiers, sometimes wading inthe ditch, but at last they reached the spot where, over groundhigh heaped with dead, the battle raged as fiercely as ever. With ashout of encouragement to the men the party of officers threwthemselves in front and joined in the fray. Desperate as thefighting had been before, it increased in intensity now. The Dutch, cheered by the leading of their officers, pressed forward withrenewed energy. The Spaniards fought desperately, nor indeed couldthey have retreated, from the crowd of their comrades behind. Thestruggle was desperate; bayonet clashed against bayonet, heavymuskets descended with a showering thud on head and shoulders, swords flashed, men locked together struggled for life. Those whofell were trampled to death, and often those in front were sojammed by the pressure, that their arms were useless, and theycould do nought but grasp at each other's throats, until a blow ora bayonet thrust from behind robbed one or other of his adversary. Slowly, very slowly, the Dutch were forcing their way forward, butit was by the destruction of the head of their enemy's column, andnot by any movement of retreat on their part. 

After a few minutes of desperate struggles, in which twice Hughsaved his life by shooting a man on the point of running himthrough with a bayonet, Rupert found himself on the edge of theroad. He drew out of the fight for an instant, and then making hisway back until he came to a Dutch colonel, he pointed out to himthat the sole hope was for a strong body of men to descend into theditch, to push forward there, and to open fire on the flank of theenemy's column, so as to shake its solidity. 

The officer saw the advice was good; and a column, four abreast, entered the ditches on each side, and pressed forward. The waterwas some inches above their waists, but they shifted their pouchesto be above its level, and soon passing the spot where the struggleraged as fiercely as ever on the dyke above, they opened fire onthe flanks of the Spaniards. These in turn fired down, and thecarnage on both sides was great. Fresh Dutchmen, however, pressedforward to take the place of those that fell; and the solidity ofthe Spaniards' column being shaken, the head of the Dutch bodybegan to press them back. 

The impetus once given was never checked. Slowly, very slowly theDutch pushed forward, until at last the Spaniards were driven offthe road, and the line of retreat was open to the Dutch army. Thenthe rear guard began to fall back before the French; and fightingevery step of the way, the last of the Dutch army reached FortLille long after night had fallen. 

Their loss in this desperate hand-to-hand fighting had been 4000killed and wounded, besides 600 prisoners and six guns. The Frenchand Spaniards lost 3000 killed and wounded. 

It was well for Rupert that Hugh kept so close to him, for nearlythe last shot fired by the enemy struck him, and he fell beneaththe water, when his career would have been ended had not Hughseized him and lifted him ashore. So much had the gallantry of thelittle cornet attracted the attention and admiration of the Dutch, that plenty of volunteers were glad to assist Hugh to carry him toFort Lille. There during the night a surgeon examined his wound, and pronounced that the ball had broken two ribs, and had thenglanced out behind, and that if all went well, in a month he wouldbe about again. 

The numbers of wounded were far beyond the resources of Fort Lilleto accommodate, and all were upon the following day put into boats, and distributed through the various Dutch riverine towns, in orderthat they might be well tended and cared for. This was a far betterplan than their accumulation in large military hospitals, where, even with the greatest care, the air is always impure, and thedeaths far more numerous than when the men are scattered, and canhave good nursing and fresh air. 

Rupert, with several other officers, was sent to Dort, at that timeone of the great commercial cities of Holland. Rupert, althoughtightly bandaged, and forbidden to make any movement, was able totake an interest in all that was going on. 

"There is quite a crowd on the quay, Hugh. "

"Yes, sir; I expect most of these Dutch officers have friends andacquaintances here. Besides, as yet the people here cannot tell whohave fallen, and must be anxious indeed for news. "

The crowd increased greatly by the time the boat touched the quay;and as the officers stepped or were carried ashore, each wassurrounded by a group of anxious inquirers. 

Hugh, standing by his master's stretcher, felt quite alone in thecrowd--as, seeing his British uniform, and the shake of his head atthe first question asked, none tried to question him--and lookedround vaguely at the crowd, until some soldiers should come to liftthe stretcher. 

Suddenly he gave a cry of surprise, and to Rupert's astonishmentleft his side, and sprang through the crowd. With some difficultyhe made his way to a young lady, who was standing with an elderlygentleman on some steps a short distance back from the crowd. Shelooked surprised at the approach of this British soldier, whoseeyes were eagerly fixed on her; but not till Hugh stepped in frontof her and spoke did she remember him. 

"Mistress Von Duyk, " he said, "my master is here wounded; and as hehas not a friend in the place, and I saw you, I made bold to speakto you. "

"Oh! I am sorry, " the girl said, holding out her hand to Hugh. 

"Papa, this is one of the gentlemen who rescued me, as I told you, when Sir Richard Fulke tried to carry me off. "

The gentleman, who had looked on in profound astonishment, seizedHugh's hand. 

"I am indeed glad to have an opportunity of thanking you. 

"Hasten home, Maria, and prepare a room. I will go and have thisgood friend brought to our house. "

Chapter 11: A Death Trap. 

Never did a patient receive more unremitting care than that whichwas lavished upon Rupert Holliday in the stately old house at Dort. The old housekeeper, in the stiffest of dresses and starched caps, and with the rosiest although most wrinkled of faces, waited uponhim; while Maria von Duyk herself was in and out of his room, brought him flowers, read to him, and told him the news; and herfather frequently came in to see that he lacked nothing. As forHugh, he grumbled, and said that there was nothing for him to dofor his master; but he nevertheless got through the days pleasantlyenough, having struck up a flirtation with Maria's plump and prettywaiting maid, who essayed to improve his Dutch, of which he had bythis time picked up a slight smattering. Then, too, he made himselfuseful, and became a great favourite in the servants' hall, wentout marketing, told them stories of the war in broken Dutch, andmade himself generally at home. Greatly astonished was he at thestories that he heard as to the land around him; how notinfrequently great subsidences, extending over very many squaremiles, took place; and where towns and villages stood when the sunwent down, there spread in the morning a sea very many fathomsdeep. Hugh could hardly believe these tales, which he repeated toRupert, who in turn questioned Maria von Duyk, who answered himthat the stories were strictly true, and that many such great andsudden catastrophes had happened. 

"I can't understand it, " Rupert said. "Of course one could imaginea sea or river breaking through a dyke and covering low lands, butthat the whole country should sink, and there be deep water overthe spot, appears unaccountable. "

"The learned believe, " Maria said, "that deep down below thesurface of the land lies a sort of soil like a quicksand, and thatwhen the river deepens its bed so that its waters do enter thissoil it melts away, leaving a great void, into which the land abovedoes sink, and is altogether swallowed up. "

"It is a marvellously uncomfortable feeling, " Rupert said, "tothink that one may any night be awoke with a sudden crash, only tobe swallowed up. "

"Such things do not happen often, " Maria said; "and the districtsthat suffer are after all but small in comparison to Holland. So Iread that in Italy the people do build their towns on the slopes ofVesuvius, although history says that now and again the mountainbubbles out in irruption, and the lava destroys many villages, andeven towns. In other countries there are earthquakes, but thepeople forget all about them until the shock comes, and the housesbegin to topple over their heads. "

"You are right, no doubt, " Rupert said. "But to a stranger thefeeling, at first, of living over a great quicksand, is notaltogether pleasant. 

"Tomorrow the doctor says I may leave my room. My own idea is thatI need never have been kept there at all. "

"If there had been any great occasion for you to have moved about, no doubt you might have done so, " Maria said; "but you might havethrown back your cure, and instead of your bones knitting well andsoundly, as the leech says they are in a fair way to do, you mighthave made but a poor recovery. Dear me, what impatient creaturesboys are!"

"No, indeed I am not impatient, " Rupert said. "You have all made meso comfortable and happy, that I should indeed be ungrateful were Ito be impatient. I only want to be about again that I may spare yousome of the trouble which you bestow upon me. "

"Yes, that is all very well and very pretty, " Maria said, laughing;"but I know that you are at heart longing to be off to join yourregiment, and take part in all their marching and fighting. Do youknow, an officer who came here with you after that terrible fightnear Antwerp, told me that you covered yourself with glory there?"

"I covered myself with mud, " Rupert laughed. "Next day, when I haddried a little, I felt as if I had been dipped in dough and thenbaked. I am sure I looked like a pie in human shape when you firstsaw me, did I not?"

"It would have been difficult to tell the colour of your uniform, certainly, " Maria smiled. "Fortunately, neither cloth nor tailorsare scarce in our good town of Dort, and you will find a fresh suitin readiness for you to attire yourself in tomorrow. "

"Oh, that is good of you, " Rupert said, delighted; for he had beenthinking ruefully of the spectacle he should present the next day. 

As to Hugh, he had been fitted out in bourgeois clothes since hecame, and had said no word as to uniform. 

In another fortnight Rupert was thoroughly restored to health. Hiswound had healed, his bones had perfectly set, and he was as fitfor work as ever. Even his host could not but allow that there wasno cause for his further detention. During this time Rupert hadtalked much with the Burgomaster, who spoke French fluently, andhad told him frequently and earnestly of the grievous harm that wasdone to the prospects of the war by the mischievous interferencewith the general's plans by the Dutch deputies, who, knowingnothing whatever of war, yet took upon themselves continually tothwart the plans of the greatest general of the age. Van Duyklistened with great attention, and promised that when he wentshortly to Haarlem he would use all his influence to abbreviate thepowers which the deputies so unwisely used. 

Two or three days before the date fixed for Rupert's departure, hewas walking in the town with Mynheer Von Duyk and his daughter, when he observed a person gazing intently at him from the entranceto a small bylane. He started, and exclaimed:

"There is that rascal, Sir Richard Fulke!"

"Where?" exclaimed both his companions. 

"He has gone now, " Rupert said. "But he stood there in shadow, atthe entrance to that lane. "

So saying, he hurried forward, but no sign of his enemy wasvisible. 

"Are you sure it was he?" Mynheer Von Duyk asked. "What can he bedoing in Holland?"

Rupert then in a few words recounted their meeting in Liege, thesubsequent attempt to murder him at the mill, and the disappearanceof Sir Richard Fulke, and his exchange into some other regiment. 

Von Duyk was much disturbed. 

"This touches me nearly, " he said. "It is from your interference onbehalf of my daughter that you have incurred this fellow's enmity, and it is clear that he will shrink at nothing to gratify it. Moreover, I cannot consider my daughter to be in safety, as long asso reckless a man as this is in the town. I will go at once to themagistrates, and urge that my daughter goes in danger of him, andso obtain an order to search for and arrest him. In a few hours wewill have him by the heels, and then, after a while in prison, wewill send him packing across the frontier, with a warning that ifhe comes back he will not escape so lightly. "

The search, however, was not successful; and Mynheer Von Duyk wasbeginning to think that Rupert must have been mistaken, when theofficer of the magistracy discovered that a man answering to thedescription given had been staying for three days at a small tavernby the water, but that he had hastily taken a boat and sailed, within a half hour of being seen by Rupert. 

"It is a low resort where he was staying, " Von Duyk said, "A tavernto which all the bad characters of the town--for even Dort has somebad characters--do resort. If he came here to do you harm, or withany fresh design upon my daughter, he would find instruments there. I had intended to have left Maria behind, when I travelled to theHague next week; but I will now take her with me, with two or threestout fellows as an escort. 

"As for you, friend Rupert, you have but two more evenings here inDort, but I pray you move not out after dusk, for these long warshave made many men homeless and desperate, and it is not good forone who has an enemy to trust himself abroad at night, alone. "

The next morning Hugh went down to the quay with one of the clerksof Von Duyk, and struck a bargain with some boatmen to carry Rupertand himself to Bergen op Zoom. It was a craft of some four or fivetons burden, with a good sized cabin. 

The next day Hugh went down early to the boat with the banscontaining Rupert's luggage and his own, and a servant of Von Duykaccompanied him, bearing some provisions and a few choice bottlesof wine for their use on the way. 

"Do you know, Master Rupert, " he said on his return, "I don't muchlike the look of that boatman chap. When we got down to the quaythis morning, he was talking with two men whose faces I did notsee, for they walked suddenly and hastily away, but who seemed tome to flavour much of the two men we disturbed that evening whenthey were carrying off Miss Von Duyk. I could not swear to them, for I did not get a fair sight of them before, but they were aboutthe same size and height, and it was clear that they did not wishto be recognized. "

Rupert made no reply for a while, but thought the matter over. 

"Well, Hugh, I wish it had not been so, for I hate quarrels andbrawls, but I do not think that we need be uneasy, especially nowthat we are warned. The boat carries but three men, and as we shallhave our pistols and swords, I imagine that we are a match forthese Dutch boatmen. See that the pistols are loaded, and saynaught to our kind friends here as to your suspicions. I would notmake them uncomfortable. "

Before taking leave of their friends, Rupert was drawn aside byMynheer Von Duyk, who begged to know if he had any necessity formoney, and assured him that then or at any other time he should beglad to honour any drafts that Rupert might draw upon him. 

"I am not a man of many words, " he said, "but in saving my daughterfrom that ruffian you have laid me under an obligation which Ishould be glad to discharge with half my fortune. I am, as youknow, a rich man--I may say a very rich man. Had you been a fewyears older, I would gladly have given my daughter to you did yourinclination and hers jump that way. As it is, I can only regard youas a younger brother of hers, and view you as a sort of son byadoption. Young men in cavalry regiments require horses and havemany expenses, and you will really pain me much if you refuse toallow me to act as your banker. I have, believing that you wouldnot take it wrongly, paid in to your account with the paymaster ofyour regiment the sum of two hundred pounds, and have told him thatthe same sum would be paid to your account annually so long as theregiment might be in Flanders, and that he may further cash anyorder drawn by you upon my house. 

"There now, my daughter is waiting, and the hour for sailing is athand. Do not let us say any more about it. "

So saying he hurried Rupert out into the hall where Maria Von Duykwas waiting, before he could have raised any objection, had hewished to do so. But in truth Rupert felt that he could not refusethe kind offer without giving pain, and he knew moreover that thisallowance, which to the rich merchant was a mere trifle, would addgreatly to his comfort, and enable him to enter more freely than hehad yet done in the plans and pursuits of his brother officers, whowere for the most part young men of fortune. With a word or two ofsincere thanks therefore, he accompanied the worthy Dutchman, andtwelve minutes later the party were on their way down to the quay. 

"A surly looking knave is your captain, " Mynheer Von Duyk said asthey stood by the boat while the men prepared for a start. "I seehe belongs not to this town, but to Bergen. However, the voyage isnot a long one, and as you know but little of our language it willmatter but slightly whether his temper be good or bad. 

"There, I see he is ready. Goodbye, Master Holliday. Goodbye, mygood Hugh. All fortune attend you, and God keep you both fromharm. "

Maria added her affectionate adieux to those of her father, and ina few minutes the boat was moving down the river under full sail. 

"Hugh, you may as well overhaul the cabin at once, " Rupert said;"we have paid for its sole use during the voyage. Cast your eyecarefully round, and see if there is anything that strikes you asbeing suspicious. I see no arms on deck; see that none are hiddenbelow. "

Hugh returned on deck in a few minutes. 

"It seems all right, Master Rupert. There are some provisions in alocker, and in another are a cutlass, a couple of old pistols, anda keg half full of powder; I should say by its weight there are tenpounds in it. The arms are rusted, and have been there some time, Ishould say. There is also a bag of heavy shot, and there is a longduck gun fastened to the beam; but all these things are naturalenough in a boat like this. No doubt they fire a charge or two ofshot into a passing flight of wildfowl when they get the chance. "

"That's all right then, Hugh, especially as they evidently couldnot go down into the cabin without our seeing them; and as with ourpistols and swords we could make short work of them even if theydid mean mischief, we need not trouble ourselves any further in thematter. It's going to be a wet night, I am afraid; not that itmakes much difference, but one would rather have stayed on deck aslong as one could keep awake, for the smells of the cabin of aDutch fishing boat are not of the sweetest. "

Rupert was not mistaken. As the darkness came on a thick heavy mistbegan to fall steadily; and he and Hugh descended through the halfdoor from the cockpit into the cabin. 

"Now let us have supper, Hugh; there are plenty of good things; andI have a famous appetite. "

The thoughtfulness of Mynheer von Duyk's housekeeper had placed twocandles in the basket together with two drinking glasses; and theformer were soon lighted, and by the aid of a drop or two of theirown grease, fixed upright on the rough table. Then a splendid piewas produced; the neck was knocked off a bottle; the lads drew outtheir clasp knives, and set to work. 

"Here is a bottle of schnapps, " Hugh said, examining the basketwhen they had finished a hearty meal. 

"You may as well give that to the boatman, Hugh. I expect the goodfrau had him in her thoughts when she put it in, for she wouldhardly give us credit for such bad taste as to drink that stuffwhen we could get good wine. "

Hugh handed out the bottle to the boatman, who took it with a surlygrunt of satisfaction. It was raining steadily, and the wind hadalmost dropped. An hour later the lads agreed that they were readyfor sleep. Hitherto the door had been slightly open to admit air. 

"Shall I shut the door, Master Rupert?"

"Well, perhaps you had better, Hugh. We have got into the way ofsleeping heavily at Dort, without any night guard or disturbance. Idoubt not that these Dutchmen mean us no harm. Still it is well tobe on the safe side. "

"There is no fastening to it, Master Rupert. "

"Well, take your sword out of its scabbard, Hugh, and put thescabbard against the door, so that it will fall with a crash if thedoor is opened. Then, if we have a pistol close to hand, we cansleep in security. "

Hugh obeyed his instructions; and in a few minutes, wrapped intheir military cloaks, they were fast asleep on the lockers, whichserved as benches and beds. How long they slept they knew not; butboth started up into a sitting attitude, with their hands on theirpistols. 

"Who's there?" both shouted; but there was no answer. 

The darkness was intense; and it was clear that whoever had triedto open the door had shut it again. 

"Have you your tinderbox handy, Hugh? If so, let us have a light. 

"Those fellows are moving about overhead, Hugh; but we had betterstay where we are. The scabbard may have shaken down, for the windhas got up, and the boat is feeling it; and if they mean foul playthey could knock us on the head as we go out from under the lowdoor. 

"Hallo! What's that?"

The "that" was the falling of some heavy substance against thedoor. 

"Those are the coils of cable, Hugh; they have blocked us in. Go onstriking that light; we can't push the door open now. "

Some more weight was thrown against the door, and then all wasstill. 

Presently Hugh succeeded in striking a light--no easy task in thedays of flint and steel--and the candles being lighted, they satdown to consider the position. 

"We are prisoners, Master Rupert; no doubt about that. "

"None at all, Hugh. The question is what do they mean to do withus. We've got food enough here to last us with ease for a week; andwith our pistols and swords, to say nothing of the duck gun, wecould hold this cabin against any number. "

Presently they heard the men on deck hailing another boat. 

"I suppose that is that rascal Fulke, " Rupert said. "I hope that Iam not quarrelsome by disposition, Hugh; but the next time I meetthat fellow I will, if time and place be suitable, come to areckoning with him. "

There was a movement above, and then a bump came against the side. The other boat had come up. 

"Now we shall see what they are up to. "

Nothing, however, came of it. There was some low talking above, andsome coarse laughter. 

"Master Rupert, " Hugh exclaimed suddenly, "I am standing in water!"

Rupert had half lain down again, but he leapt up now. 

"They have scuttled the boat, Hugh, and mean to drown us like rats;the cowards. "

"What's to be done now, Master Rupert?" Hugh asked. 

"Let us try the door, Hugh. "

A single effort showed that they were powerless here. The door wasstrong, it was fastened outside, and it was heavily weighted withcoils of rope and other substances. 

"The water rises fast. It's over our ankles, " Hugh said quietly. 

The bumping of a boat was again heard outside, then a trampling offeet, and all was still again. 

"They have taken to the boats. "

Not all, however, for through the door there came a shout, "Goodbye, Master Holliday, " and a loud, jeering laugh. 

"Au revoir, Sir Richard Fulke, " Rupert shouted back; "and when wemeet next, beware!"

"Ha, ha! it won't be in this world;" and they heard their enemy getinto the boat. 

"Now, Hugh, we must set to work; we have got the boat toourselves. "

"But what are we to do, Master Rupert?"

Rupert was silent for a minute. 

"There is but one way, Hugh. We must blow up the boat. "

"Blow up the boat!" Hugh repeated, in astonishment. 

"Yes, Hugh. At least, blow the deck up. Give me that keg ofpowder. "

Hugh opened the locker. It was, fortunately, still above water. 

"Now, Hugh, put it in that high locker there, just under the deck. Knock its head out. 

"Now tie a pistol to those hooks just above, so that its muzzlepoints at the powder. 

"Now for a piece of cord. "

"But it will blow us into smash, Master Rupert. "

"I hope not, Hugh; but we must take our chance. I would rather thatthan be drowned gradually. But look, the water is up nearly to ourwaists now; and the boat must be pretty nearly sinking. I will takehold of the cord. Then both of us throw ourselves down to thefloor, and I will pull the string. Three feet of water over usought to save us; but mind, the instant you feel the shock, jump upand rush for the opening, for it is pretty sure to sink her. 

"Now!"

The lads dived under water, and the instant afterwards there was atremendous explosion. The deck of the boat was blown into the airin a hundred fragments, and at the same moment the boat sank underthe water. 

A few seconds later Rupert and Hugh were swimming side by side. Fora while neither spoke--they were shaken and half stunned by theshock. 

"It is a thick fog, Hugh. All the better; for if those scoundrelscome back, as is likely enough, there is no chance of their findingus, for I can hardly see you, though I am touching you. Now we mustpaddle about, and try to get hold of a spar or a bit of plank. "

Chapter 12: The Sad Side Of War. 

Before firing the keg of powder, Rupert and Hugh had rid themselvesof their jackboots, coats, and vests, and they therefore swameasily and confidently. 

"Listen, Hugh! Here is the boat coming back again, " Rupertexclaimed. "This thick mist is fortunate, for they can't see twentyyards. We can always dive when they come near. Mind you go downwithout making a splash. We are all right at present; the boat isgoing to our right, let us swim quietly in the other direction. "

Presently they heard a voice in English say, "It is no use ourtroubling ourselves. It's a mere waste of time. The young rascalsare dead. Drowned or blown up, what matters it? They will nevertrouble you again. "

"You don't know the villains as well as I do. They have as manylives as cats. I could have sworn that they were burned at thatmill, for I watched till it fell, and not a soul came out; and tothis moment I don't know how they escaped, unless they flew away inthe smoke. Then I thought at any rate the chief rogue was done for, when Muller wrote to tell me he was going to finish him for me thenext day. Then they both got through that day's fighting by theScheldt, though I hear they were in the front of it. And now, whenI leave them fastened up like puppies in a basket, in a sinkingboat, comes this explosion, and all is uncertain again. "

"Not a bit of it, " the other voice said; "they simply preferred asudden death to a slow one. The matter is simple enough. "

"I wish I could think so, " the other said. "But I tell you, afterthis night's work I shall never feel my life's safe for one hour, till I hear certain news of their death. 

"Stop rowing, " he said, in Dutch. "There is a bit of a plank; wemust be just on the place where she blew up! Listen, does anyonehear anything?"

There was a long silence, and then he said, "Row about for half anhour. It's as dark as a wolf's mouth, but we may come upon them. "

In the meantime, the two lads were swimming steadily and quietlyaway. 

Presently Hugh said, "I must get rid of my sword, Master Rupert, itseems pulling me down. I don't like to lose it, for it was mygrandfather's. "

"You had better lose the grandfather's sword, Hugh, than thegrandson's life. Loose your belt, Hugh, and let it go. Mine is noweight in comparison. I'll stick to it as long as I can, for it maybe useful; but if needs be, it must follow yours. "

"Which way do you think the shore lies?" Hugh asked, after having, with a sigh of regret, loosed his sword belt and let it go. 

"I have no idea, Hugh. It's no use swimming now, for with nothingto fix our eyes on, we may be going round in a circle. All we needdo is to keep ourselves afloat till the mist clears up, or daylightcomes. "

For an hour they drifted quietly. 

Hugh exclaimed, "I hear a voice. "

"So do I, Hugh. It may be on shore, it may be in a boat. Let usmake for it in either case. "

In five minutes they saw close ahead of them a large boat, which, with its sail hanging idly by the mast, was drifting downstream. Two boatmen were sitting by the tiller, smoking their pipes. 

"Heave us a rope, " Hugh said in Dutch. "We have had an upset, andshall be glad to be out of this. "

The boatmen gave a cry of surprise, but at once leapt to theirfeet, and would have thrown a rope, but by this time the lads werealongside, and leaning over they helped them into the boat. Thenthey looked with astonishment at their suddenly arrived guests. 

"We are English soldiers, " Hugh said, "on our way to Bergen opZoom, when by some carelessness a keg of powder blew up, our boatwent to the bottom, and we have been swimming for it for the lastcouple of hours. "

"Are you the English officer and soldier who left Dort thisafternoon?" one of the men said. "We saw you come down to the quaywith Mynheer Von Duyk and his daughter. Our boat lay next to theboat you went by. "

"That is so, " Hugh said. "Are you going to Bergen? We have enoughdollars left to pay our passage. "

"You would be welcome in any case, " the boatman said. "HansPetersen is not a man to bargain with shipwrecked men. But gobelow. There is a fire there. I will lend you some dry clothes, anda glass of hot schnapps will warm your blood again. "

Arrived at Bergen, one of the boatmen, at Rupert's request, went upinto the town, and returned with a merchant of ready-made clothes, followed by his servant bearing a selection of garments such asRupert had said that they would require, and in another half hour, after a handsome present to the boatmen, Rupert and Hugh landed, dressed in the costume of a Dutch gentleman and burgherrespectively. Their first visit was to an armourer's shop, whereHugh was provided with a sword, in point of temper and make fullyequal to that with which he had so reluctantly parted. Then, hiringhorses, they journeyed by easy stages to Huy, a town on the Meuse, six leagues above Liege, which Marlborough, again forbidden by theDutch deputies to give battle when he had every prospect of a greatvictory, was besieging. 

The capture of the fortress, and subsequently of Limberg, was allthe campaign of 1703 effected; whereas, had the English commanderbeen allowed to have his way, the great results which were notobtained until after three years' further fighting might at oncehave been gained. 

Rupert was greeted with enthusiasm by his comrades on his return. After the battle before Antwerp the duke had caused inquiries to bemade as to the fate of his young friend, and had written to Dort, and had received an answer from Rupert announcing his convalescenceand speedy return to duty. 

Upon hearing his tale of the fresh attempt upon his life by SirRichard Fulke, the commander-in-chief wrote to the States General, as the government of Holland was called, and requested that ordersshould be issued for the arrest of Sir Richard Fulke, wherever hemight be found, upon a charge of attempt at murder. Nothing was, however, heard of him, and it was supposed that he had eitherreturned to England or passed into Germany. 

After the capture of Limberg the army went into winter quarters, and the 5th dragoons were allotted their old quarters near Liege. 

During the campaign of 1703, although slight advantages had beengained by the allies in Flanders, it was otherwise in Germany andItaly, where the greatest efforts of the French had been made. Beyond the Rhine the French and Bavarians had carried all beforethem, and Villars, who commanded their armies here, had almosteffected a junction across the Alps with Vendome, who commanded theFrench troops in Italy. Had success crowned their efforts, thearmies could have been passed at will to either one side or theother of the Alps, and could have thrown themselves withoverwhelming force either upon Austria, or upon Prince Eugene, whocommanded the imperial troops in Italy. The mountaineers of theTyrol, however, flew to arms, and held their passes with suchextreme bravery that neither the Bavarians on the north, nor theFrench on the south, could make any progress, and the design hadfor a time been abandoned. 

Austria was paralyzed by the formidable insurrection of Hungary, and it appeared certain that Vienna would in the ensuing campaignfall into the hands of the French. 

During the Winter Marlborough laboured earnestly to prepare for theimportant campaign which must take place in the spring, and afterthe usual amount of difficulties, arising from private andpolitical enemies at home and in Holland, he succeeded in carryingout his plan, and in arranging that the Dutch should hold theirfrontier line alone, and that he should carry the rest of his armyinto Germany. 

The position there seemed well-nigh desperate. Marshal Tallard, with 45, 000 men, was posted on the Upper Rhine, in readiness toadvance through the Black Forest and join the advanced force andthe Bavarians--who also numbered 45, 000 men, and the united armywas to advance upon Vienna, which, so weakened was the empire, wasdefended only by an army of 20, 000 men, placed on the frontier. 

On the 8th of May, Marlborough set out with his army, crossed theMeuse at Maestricht, and arrived at Bonn on the 28th of that month. Marching up the Rhine, he crossed it at Coblentz on the 26th, andpushed on to Mundlesheim, where he met Prince Eugene, who nowcommanded the allied force there. Next only to Marlborough himself, Eugene was the greatest general of the age--skillful, dashing yetprudent, brave to a fault--for a general can be too brave--frank, sincere, and incapable of petty jealousy. 

Between him and Marlborough, from the date of their first meeting, the most cordial friendship, and the most loyal cooperationprevailed. Each was always anxious to give the other credit, andthought more of each other's glory than their own. So rapidly hadMarlborough marched, that only his cavalry had come up; and PrinceEugene, reviewing them, remarked that they were the finest body ofmen he had ever seen. 

A few days later the Prince of Baden came down from the Austrianarmy of the Danube to meet him. Eugene and Marlborough wished theprince to take the command of the army of the Rhine, leaving thearmy of the Danube to their joint command. The prince, however, stood upon his rank; and it was finally arranged that Eugene shouldcommand the army of the Rhine, and that Marlborough and the Princeof Baden should command the army of the Danube on alternatedays--an arrangement so objectionable that it is surprising it didnot terminate in disaster. 

Marlborough at once marched with his force, and making his way withgreat difficulty through the long and narrow defile of Gieslingen, effected a junction with the Prince of Baden's army; and foundhimself on the 2nd of July at the head of an army of 96 battalions, 202 squadrons of horse, and 48 guns; confronting the French andBavarian army, consisting of 88 battalions, 160 squadrons, 90 guns, and 40 mortars, in a strong position on the Danube. 

The bulk of the army was on the right bank. On the left bank wasthe height of Schellenberg, covering the passage of the river atDonauwoerth, and held by 12, 000 men, including 2500 horse. Alongthe front of this hill was an old rampart, which the French wereengaged in strengthening when the allied army arrived. The latterwere not when they came up, according to the ordinary militaryidea, in a condition to attack. Their camp had been broken up atthree in the morning, and it was two in the afternoon before theyarrived, after a long and fatiguing march, in front of the enemy'sposition. 

Thinking that it was probable that he would be forced to fightimmediately upon arriving, Marlborough had selected 530 picked menfrom each battalion, amounting to 6000 men, together with thirtysquadrons of horse, as an advance guard; and close behind themfollowed three regiments of Imperial grenadiers, under PrinceLouis. The total strength of this force was 10, 500 men. 

The French and Bavarian generals did not expect an attack, knowingthe distance that the troops had marched, and therefore quietlycontinued their work of strengthening the entrenchments. The Dukeof Marlborough, seeing the work upon which they were engaged, determined to attack at once, for, as he said to the Prince ofBaden, who wished to allow the men a night's rest, "Every hour wedelay will cost us a thousand men. " Orders were therefore given foran instant assault upon the hill of Schellenberg. Not only was theposition very strong in itself, but in front of it was a wood, sothick that no attack could be made through it. It was necessary, therefore, to attack by the flanks of the position, and one ofthese flanks was covered by the fire of the fortress ofDonauwoerth. 

"This is as bad as a siege, " Rupert said, discontentedly, to hisfriend Dillon, for their squadron formed part of the advance. "Weare always out of it. "

"You are in a great hurry to get that bright cuirass of yoursdented, Rupert; but I agree with you, the cavalry are always out ofit. There go the infantry. "

In splendid order the 6000 picked men moved forward against theface of the enemy's position, extending from the wood to thecovered way of the fortress; but when they arrived within range ofgrape, they were swept by so fearful a storm of shot that the linewavered. General Goor and his bravest officers were struck down, and the line fell into confusion. 

The Bavarians seeing this, leapt from their entrenchment; andpursued their broken assailants with the bayonet; but whendisordered by their rush, a battalion of English guards, which hadkept its ground, poured so tremendous a fire into their flank thatthey fell back to their entrenchments. 

"This looks serious, " Dillon said, as the allies fell back. "Theenemy are two to our one, and they have got all the advantage ofposition. "

"There is the duke, " Rupert exclaimed, "reforming them. There theygo again, and he is leading them himself. What a terrible fire!Look how the officers of the staff are dropping! Oh, if the dukeshould himself be hit! See, the infantry are slackening theiradvance in spite of the shouts of their officers. They arewavering! Oh, how dreadful; here they come back again. "

"The duke is going to try again, Rupert. See how he is waving hishand and exhorting the men to a fresh attack. 

"That's right, lads, that's right. 

"They have formed again; there they go. "

Again the troops wavered and broke under the terrible rain ofbullets; and this time the Bavarians in great force leapt fromtheir entrenchments, and pounced down upon the broken line. 

"Prepare to charge!" shouted General Lumley, who commanded thecavalry. "Forward, trot, gallop, charge!"

With a cheer the cavalry, chafed at their long inaction while theircomrades were suffering so terribly, dashed forward, and threwthemselves furiously upon the Bavarians, driving them headlong backto their lines, and then falling back under a tremendous fire, which rolled over men and horses in numbers. 

At this moment a cheer broke from the dispirited infantry, as the headsof the three regiments of Imperial grenadiers, led by the Prince ofBaden, arrived on the ground. These, without halting, moved forwardtowards the extreme left of the enemy's position--which had been leftto some extent unguarded, many of the troops having been called off torepulse Marlborough's attack--pushed back two battalions of Frenchinfantry, and entered the works. 

General D'Arco, the French commanding officer, withdrew some of hismen from the centre to hold the Prince of Baden in check; andMarlborough profited by the confusion so caused to endeavour, forthe fourth time, to carry the hill. His force was however, nowfearfully weakened; and General Lumley, after conferring with himfor a moment, rode back to the cavalry. 

"The 5th dragoons will dismount and join the infantry, " he said. 

In a moment every soldier was on his feet; and five minutes laterthe regiment, marching side by side with the infantry, advanced upthe hill. 

This time the assault was successful. The enemy, confused by thefact that the allies had already forced their line on the left, wavered. Their fire was wild and ineffectual; and with a tremendouscheer the allies scaled the height and burst into the works. Closebehind them General Lumley led his cavalry, who made their waythrough the gaps in the entrenchments, and fell upon the fugitiveswith dreadful slaughter. The French and Bavarians fled to a bridgeacross the Danube below Donauwoerth, which, choked by their weight, gave way, and great numbers were drowned. The rest retreatedthrough Donauwoerth, their rear being gallantly covered by GeneralD'Arco, with a small body of troops who held together. Sixteen gunsand thirteen standards fell into the victors' hands. 

The loss of the allies, considering the force that they broughtinto the field--for the main army had not arrived when the victorywas decided--was extraordinary, for out of a total of 10, 500 men, including cavalry, they lost 1500 killed, and 4000 wounded, or morethan half their force; and the greater part of these were English, for upon them fell the whole brunt of the fighting. 

The enemy suffered comparatively little in the battle, but greatnumbers were killed in the pursuit or drowned in the Danube. Stillgreater numbers of Bavarians scattered to their homes; and out of12000 men, only 3000 joined the army on the other side of theDanube. 

The Elector of Bavaria fell back with his army to Augsburg, underthe cannon of which fortress he encamped, in a position too strongto be attacked. His strong places all fell into the hands of theallies; and every effort was made to induce him to break off fromhis alliance with France. The elector, however, relying upon theaid of Marshal Tallard, who was advancing with 45, 000 men to hisassistance, refused to listen to any terms; and the allied powersordered Marlborough to harry his country, and so force him intosubmission by the misery of his subjects. 

Such an order was most repugnant to the duke, who was one of themost humane of men, and who by the uniform kind treatment of hisprisoners, not only did much to mitigate the horrors of the war inwhich he was engaged, but set an example which has since his timebeen followed by all civilized armies. He had, however, no resourcebut to obey orders; and the cavalry of the allies were sent tocarry fire through Bavaria. No less than 300 towns and villageswere destroyed in this barbarous warfare. 

This duty was abhorrent to Rupert, who waited on the duke, andbegged him as the greatest of favours to attach him for a shorttime to the staff, in order that he might not be obliged toaccompany his regiment. The duke--who had already offered Rupert anappointment on his staff, an offer he had gratefully declined, ashe preferred to do duty with his regiment--at once acceded to hisrequest, and he was thus spared the horror of seeing the agony ofthe unhappy peasantry and townspeople, at the destruction of theirhouses. Rupert, in his rides with messages across the country, sawenough to make him heartsick at the distress into which the peopleof the country were plunged. 

One day when riding, followed by Hugh, he came upon a sad group. Bya hut which had recently been burned, after some resistance, as wasshown by the dead body of a Hessian trooper, a peasant knelt by thebody of his wife. A dead child of some five years old lay by, and ababy kicked and cried by the side of its mother. The peasant lookedup with an air of bewildered grief, and on seeing the Britishuniform sprang to his feet, and with a fierce but despairinggesture placed himself as if to defend his children to the last. 

Rupert drew his rein. 

"I would not hurt you, my poor fellow, " he said in Dutch. 

The man did not understand, but the gentleness of the tone showedhim that no harm was meant, and he again flung himself down by hiswife. 

"I do not think that she is dead, Hugh, " Rupert said. "Hold myhorse, I will soon see. "

So saying, he dismounted and knelt by the woman. There was a woundon her forehead, and her face was covered with blood. Rupert ran toa stream that trickled by the side of the road, dipped hishandkerchief in water, and returning, wiped the blood from the faceand wound. 

"It is a pistol bullet, I imagine, " he said to him; "but I do notthink the ball has entered her head; it has, I think, glanced off. Fasten the horses up to that rail, Hugh, get some water in yourhands, and dash it in her face. "

The peasant paid no attention to what was being done, but satabsorbed in grief; mechanically patting the child beside him. 

"That's it, Hugh. Now another. I do believe she is only stunned. Give me that flask of spirits out of my holster. "

Hugh again dashed water in the woman's face, and Rupert distinctlysaw a quiver in her eyelid as he did so. Then forcing open herteeth, he poured a little spirit into her mouth, and was in aminute rewarded by a gasping sigh. 

"She lives, " he exclaimed, shaking the peasant by the shoulder. 

The man looked round stupidly, but Rupert pointed to his wife, andagain poured some spirits between her lips. This time she made aslight movement and opened her eyes. The peasant gave a wild screamof delight, and poured forth a volume of words, of which Rupertunderstood nothing; but the peasant kneeling beside him, bent hisforehead till it touched the ground, and then kissed the lappet ofhis coat--an action expressive of the intensity of his gratitude. 

Rupert continued his efforts until the woman was able to sit up, and look round with a frightened and bewildered air. When her eyecaught her husband, she burst into tears; and as Hugh raised thebaby and placed it in her arms she clasped it tightly, and rockedto and fro, sobbing convulsively. 

"Look, Hugh, see if you can find something like a spade in thatlittle garden. Let us bury this poor little child. "

Hugh soon found a spade, and dug a little grave in the corner of agarden under the shade of an old tree. 

Then the lads returned to the spot where the husband and wife, quiet now, were sitting hand in hand crying together. Rupert made asign to him to lift the body of his little girl, and then led theway to the little grave. The father laid her in, and then fell onhis knees by it with his wife, and prayed in a loud voice, brokenwith sobs. Rupert and Hugh stood by uncovered, until the peasanthad finished. Then the little grave was filled in; and Rupert, pointing to the ruined house, placed five gold pieces in thewoman's hand. Then they mounted their horses again and rode on, theman and his wife both kneeling by the roadside praying forblessings on their heads. 

A week later, Rupert again had occasion to pass through thevillage, and dismounted and walked to the little grave. A roughcross had been placed at one end, and some flowers lay strewn uponit. Rupert picked a few of the roses which were blooming neglectednear, and laid them on the grave, and then rode on, sighing at thehorrors which war inflicts on an innocent population. 

This time their route lay through a thickly wooded mountain, to atown beyond, where one of the cavalry regiments had itsheadquarters. Rupert was the bearer of orders for it to return toheadquarters, as a general movement of the army was to take place. The road was a mere track, hilly and wild, and the lads rode withpistols cocked, in case of any sudden attack by deserters orstragglers from the Bavarian army. The journey was, however, performed without adventure; and having delivered their orders, they at once started on their homeward way. 

Chapter 13: Blenheim. 

Although the sun had not set when Rupert and Hugh rode into theforest on their return journey, they had not been long among thetrees when the light began to fade. The foliage met overhead, andalthough above the sky seemed still bright, the change wasdistinctly felt in the gloom of the forest. The ride had been along one, and Rupert feared to press his horse, consequently theywound but slowly up the hill, and by the time they reached itscrest, it was night. 

"This is unpleasant, Hugh, for I can scarcely see my horse's head;and as there are several tracks crossing this, we are likely enoughto go wrong. "

"I think, Master Rupert, we had better dismount and lead ourhorses. We shall break our necks if they tread on a stone on thisrocky path. "

For half an hour they walked on in silence, then Hugh said, "Ithink we are going wrong, Master Rupert, for we are not descendingnow; and we ought to have been at the foot of the hill, if we hadbeen right, by this time. "

"I am afraid you are right, Hugh. In that case we had better makeup our minds to halt where we are till morning. It is no usewandering on, and knocking up the horses. It seems rather lighterjust ahead, as if the trees opened a little; we may find a betterplace to halt. "

In another minute they stood in a small clearing. The stars wereshining brightly; and after the dense darkness of the forest, theywere able to see clearly in the open. It was a clearing of somesixty feet diameter, and in the middle stood, by the path, a hut. 

"Stay where you are, Hugh, with the horses. I will go quietlyforward. If the place is occupied, we will go back. We can't expecthospitality in Bavaria. "

The hut proved to be empty. The door hung loosely on its hinges, and clearly the place was deserted. 

Rupert called Hugh up, and fastening the horses outside, the ladsentered. 

"Shall we light a fire, Master Rupert?"

"No, Hugh; at any rate unless we see that the shutters and doorwill close tightly. There may be scores of deserters in the wood, and we had better run no risk. The night is not cold. We will justsit down against the wall till morning. Before we do, though, wewill look round, outside the hut. If it has been lately inhabited, there may be a few vegetables or something the horses can munch. "

Nothing, however, was found. 

"We will take it by turns to watch, Hugh. I will take first watch;when I am sleepy I will wake you. "

Without a word Hugh unstrapped his cloak, felt for a level piece ofground in the hut, and with his cloak for his pillow, was soonasleep. 

Rupert sat down on the log of a tree, that lay outside the hut, andleaned against its wall. For two hours he sat, and thought over theadventures and the prospects of the war, and then gradually adrowsiness crept over him, and he fell fast asleep. 

His waking was not pleasant. Indeed, he was hardly aware that hewas awake; for he first came to the consciousness that he was lyingon the ground, with a number of wild-looking figures around him, some of whom bore torches, while Hugh, held by two of them, wasclose by. 

It was Hugh's voice, indeed, that first recalled him to aconsciousness of what had happened. 

"Master Rupert, Master Rupert!" he exclaimed. "Tell me that you arenot killed!"

"No, I am not killed, Hugh, " Rupert said, raising himself on hiselbow. "But it would have served me right if I had been, for goingto sleep on my watch. "

One of their captors now stooped down, seized Rupert by theshoulder, and gave him a rough kick to intimate that he was to getup. 

"I am sorry, Hugh, that I have sacrificed your life as well as myown by my folly, for I have no doubt these fellows mean to kill us. They are charcoal burners, as rough a lot as there exists inEurope, and now naturally half mad at the flames they see all overthe land. "

In the meantime, a dialogue was going on between their captors asto the best and most suitable method of putting them to death. 

"They are fond of burning houses, " one said at last, "let them tryhow they like it. Let us make a blaze here, and toss them in, andlet them roast in their own shells. "

The proposal was received with a shout of approval. Some of themscattered in the forest, and soon returned laden with dry branchesand small logs, which were piled up in a great heap against thehut, which was itself constructed of rough-hewn logs. The heap ofdry wood was then lighted, and ere long a great sheet of flamearose, the logs and the shingles of the roof caught, and ere manyminutes the hut was a pile of fire. 

"They're going to throw us in there, Hugh. "

"God's will be done, Master Rupert; but I should like to have diedsword in hand. "

"And I too, Hugh. I wish I could snatch at a weapon and diefighting; but this man holds my hands like a vise, and those heavyaxes of theirs would make short work of us. Well, the fire will nottake an instant, Hugh; it will be a momentary death to be throwninto that mass of flame. Say a prayer to God, Hugh, for those athome, for it is all up with us now. "

The blaze of fire had attracted other bodies of charcoal burnersand others, and their captors only delayed to obtain as large anumber of spectators as possible for their act of vengeance. 

The fire was now at its height, and even the savage charcoalburners felt a grudging admiration for the calm demeanour, andfearless, if pale faces, with which these lads faced death. Therewas, however, no change of purpose. The horrors that had beenperpetrated on the plains had extinguished the last spark of pityfrom their breasts, and the deed that they were about to do seemedto them one of just and praiseworthy retribution. 

The man who acted as leader gave the word, and the powerfulwoodsmen lifted the two lads as if they had been bundles of straw, and advanced towards the hut. 

"Goodbye, Master Rupert!"

"Goodbye, Hugh. May God receive"--when a terrible scream rent theair, and a wild shout. 

Then from the back of the crowd, two figures who had just arrivedat the spot burst their way. With piercing cries a woman with ababy in her arms flung herself down on the ground on her knees, between Rupert and the flames, and clasping the legs of the men whoheld him, arrested their movement; while the man, with a huge clubswinging round his head, planted himself also in the way, shoutingat the top of his voice. 

A mighty uproar arose; and then the leader obtained silence enoughto hear the cause of the interruption. 

Then the man began, and told the tale of the restoration to lifeand consciousness of his wife, and of the burial of his child, withan eloquence and pathos that moved many of his rough audience totears; and when he had finished, his wife, who had been sobbing onher knees while he spoke, rose to her feet, and told how thatmorning, as she went down from the wood towards her little one'sgrave, she saw Rupert ride up and dismount, and how when shereached the place she found fresh-gathered flowers laid on herdarling's grave. 

A dead hush fell upon the whole assembly. Without a word the leaderof the charcoal burners strode away into the forest, and returnedin another minute with the two horses. Rupert and Hugh wrung thehands of the peasants to whom they owed their lives, and leapt intothe saddle. 

The leader took a torch and strode on ahead along the path, to showthem their way; and the crowd, who had hitherto stood still andsilent, broke into a shout of farewell and blessing. 

It was some time before either Rupert or Hugh spoke. The emotion had beentoo great for them. That terrible, half hour facing death--the suddenrevulsion at their wonderful deliverance--completely prostrated them, and they felt exhausted and weak, as if after some great exertion. Onthe previous occasions in which they had seen great danger together--atthe mill of Dettingheim, the fight on the Dykes, the scuttling of theboat--they had been actively engaged. Their energies were fullyemployed, and they had had no time to think. Now they had faceddeath in all his terrors, but without the power of action; and bothfelt they would far rather go through the three first risks again, than endure five minutes of that terrible watching the fire burn up. 

Hugh was the first to speak when, nearly an hour after starting, they emerged from the wood into the plain at the foot of the hill. 

"My mother used to say, Master Rupert, that curses, like chickens, came home to roost, and surely we have proved it's the case withblessings. Who would have thought that that little act of kindnesswas to save our lives?"

"No, indeed, Hugh. Let it be a lesson to us to do good always whenwe can. "

At this moment they reached the main road from which that over thehill branched off. Their guide paused, pointed in the directionthey were to go, and with a "Godspeed you, " in his own language, extinguished his torch on the road, turned, and strode back by thepath that they had come by. 

The lads patted their horses, and glad to be again on level ground, the animals went on at a sharp canter along the road. Two hourslater they reached camp. 

The Duke of Marlborough had already laid siege to the fortress ofIngoldstadt, the siege operations being conducted by Prince Louisof Baden with a portion of his troops, while the main army coveredthe siege. But early in August the Elector of Bavaria left Augsburgwith his army, and, altogether abandoning his dominions, marched tojoin Marshal Tallard, who was now coming up. 

Marlborough at once broke up his camp, leaving Prince Louis tocontinue the siege of Ingoldstadt, and collecting as many of histroops as he could, marched with all speed in the same direction;as Prince Eugene, who, with his army, had marched in a parallelline with the French, now ran the risk of being crushed by theirunited force. 

By dint of great exertion, Marlborough joined the prince with hiscavalry on the tenth of August, and the infantry came up next day. 

The two great armies now faced each other, their numerical forcebeing not unequal, the French being about 60, 000 strong; and theallies 66, 000. In other respects, however, the advantage lay whollywith the enemy. They had ninety guns, while the allies had butfifty-one; while out of the 60, 000 troops under Marshal Tallard45, 000 were the best troops France could produce. The allied armywas a motley assembly, composed of nearly equal numbers of English, Prussians, Danes, Wurtemburghers, Dutch, Hanoverians, and Hessians. But although not more numerous than the troops of othernationalities, it was felt by all that the brunt of the battlewould fall upon the British. 

These had, throughout the three campaigns, shown fighting qualitiesof so high a character, that the whole army had come to look uponthem as their mainstay in battle. The heavy loss which had takenplace among these, the flower of his troops, at the assault ofSchlessingen greatly decreased the fighting power of Marlborough'sarmy. 

The weakness caused by the miscellaneous character of the army wasso much felt, that Marlborough was urged to draw off, and not totempt fortune under such unfavourable circumstances. 

Marshal Villeroi was, however, within a few days march with a largeforce, and Marlborough felt that if he effected a junction withTallard, Austria was lost. It was therefore necessary, at allhazards, to fight at once. 

The French position was an exceedingly strong one. Their rightrested on the Danube; and the village of Blenheim, close to itsbank, was held by twenty-six battalions and twelve squadrons, allnative French troops. 

Their left was equally protected from attack by a range of hills, impregnable for guns or cavalry. In the centre of their line, between their flanks, was the village of Oberglau, in and aroundwhich lay thirty battalions of infantry, among whom was the fineIrish regiments. 

From Blenheim to Oberglau, and thence on to Lutzingen, at the footof the hills, the French line occupied somewhat rising ground, infront of them was the rivulet of the Nebel running through lowswampy ground, very difficult for the passage of troops. 

Prince Maximilian commanded the French left, where the Bavarianswere posted, Marshal Marsin the line on to Oberglau and the villageitself, Marshal Tallard the main body thence to the Danube. 

The French marshals, strong in the belief of the prowess of theirtroops, equal in number, greatly superior in artillery, andpossessing an extremely strong position, scarcely paid sufficientattention to what would happen in the event of a defeat. Theinfantry being posted very strongly in the three villages, whichwere very carefully entrenched and barricaded, insufficientattention was paid to the long line of communications between them, which was principally held by the numerous cavalry. This was theirweak point, for it was clear that if the allies should get acrossthe rivulets and swamps and break through the cavalry line, theinfantry would be separated and unable to reunite, and the strongforce in Blenheim would run a risk of being surrounded without apossibility of retreat, as the Danube was unfordable. 

Upon the side of the allies the troops were divided into twodistinct armies. That under Prince Eugene, consisting of eighteenbattalions of infantry and seventy-four squadrons of horse, was toattack the French left. The main army under the duke, consisting offorty-eight battalions and eighty-six squadrons, was to attack thecentre and right. 

The British contingent of fourteen battalions and fourteensquadrons formed part of Marlborough's command. 

It was arranged that Prince Eugene should commence the attack, andthat when he had crossed the rivulets in front of the French left, Marlborough should advance and attempt to carry out the plan he hadlaid out, namely, to cut the French line between Oberglau andBlenheim. 

Prince Eugene's advance took the French by surprise. So confidentwere the marshals in the strength of their position and the beliefof the superiority of their troops over the polyglot army ofMarlborough, that they had made up their minds that he was about toretreat. 

The morning was misty, and Eugene's advance reached the Frenchpickets before they were perceived. 

Their difficulties now began. The rivulets were deep, the groundtreacherous; fascines had to be laid down, and the rivulets filledup, before guns could get over; and even when across they could butfeebly answer the French artillery, which from the higher groundcommanded their whole line; thus the allies lost 2000 men beforeEugene got the army he commanded across the marshes. Then at halfpast twelve he sent word to Marlborough that he was ready. 

While the cannon roar had been incessant on their right, the mainarmy remained motionless, and divine service was performed at thehead of every regiment and squadron. 

The moment the aide-de-camp arrived with the news that PrinceEugene was in readiness, the artillery of Marlborough's army openedfire, and the infantry, followed closely by their cavalry, advancedto the attack. 

The British division, under Lord Cutts, as the most trustworthy, had assigned to them a direct attack upon the strong position ofBlenheim, and they advanced unwaveringly under a storm of fire, crossed the swamps and the Nebel, and advanced towards Blenheim. 

General Rowe led the front line, consisting of five Englishbattalions and four Hessians, and he was supported by Lord Cuttswith eleven battalions and fifteen squadrons. 

Advancing through a heavy artillery fire, General Rowe's troops hadarrived within thirty yards of the palisade before the Frenchinfantry opened fire. Then a tremendous volley was poured into theallies, and a great number of men and officers fell. Still theymoved forward, and Rowe, marching in line with his men, struck thepalisade with his sword before he gave the order to fire. Thendesperately the British strove to knock down the palisade andattack their enemy with the bayonet, but the structure was toostrong, and the gallant force melted away under the withering firekept up by the great force of French infantry which occupied thevillage. 

Half Rowe's force fell, he himself was badly wounded, most of hisofficers down, when some squadrons of French horse fell upon theirflank, threw them into confusion, and took the colours of theregiment. 

The Hessians, who so far had been in reserve, fell upon the French, and retook the colours. 

Fresh squadrons of French cavalry came up, and General Lumley sentsome squadrons of cavalry across to Rowe's assistance. Then, with acheer, the dragoons rode at the French, who were twice theirstrength. In an instant every one was engaged in a fierce conflict, cutting, slashing, and using their points. 

The French gave way under the onslaught, but fresh squadrons cameup from their side, a heavy musketry fire broke out from theenclosure round Blenheim, and leaving many of their number behindthem, the British horse and foot fell back to the stream. 

Marlborough, seeing that Blenheim could not be taken, now resolvedupon making his great effort to break the French line midwaybetween Oberglau and Blenheim. 

On the stream at this part stood the village of Unterglau, having astone bridge across the Nebel. This was but weakly held by theFrench, who, upon seeing the allies advancing at full speed, firedthe village to check the advance, and then fell back. 

General Churchill's division rushed through the burning village, crossed the bridge, and began to open out on both sides. Then theduke gave the order for the whole cavalry to advance. Headed by theEnglish dragoons, they came down in good order through theconcentrated fire of the enemy's batteries to the edge of thestream; but the difficulties here were immense. The stream wasdivided into several branches, with swampy meadows between them, and only by throwing down fascines could a footing be obtained forthe horses. 

"I don't call this fighting, Master Rupert, " Hugh said, as theyfloundered and struggled through the deep marshes, while theenemy's shell burst in and around the ranks; "it's more likeswimming. Here come the French cavalry, and we've not even formedup. "

Had the French charge been pressed home, the dragoons must havebeen crushed; but Churchill's infantry on their right opened such aheavy fire that the French cavalry at that end of the line paused. On their left, however, near Blenheim, the dragoons, sufferingterribly from the artillery and musketry fire from that village, were driven back by the French cavalry to the very edge of theswamp. 

Marlborough, however, anxiously watching the struggle, continued tosend fresh bodies of horse across to their assistance, until theDutch and Hanoverian squadrons were all across, and the alliedcavalry formed in two long lines. 

While this had been going on, a serious fight had been raging infront of Oberglau; and here, as at Blenheim, the allies suffereddisaster. Here the Hanoverians, led by the Prince of Holstein, hadattacked. The powerful body of French and Irish infantry did not, however, wait for the assault, but, 9000 strong, charged down theslope upon the 5000 Hanoverians before they had formed up aftercrossing the river, repulsed them with great loss, and took theprince himself prisoner. 

This was a serious disaster, as, by the rout of the Hanoverians theconnexion between Marlborough's army and that of Prince Eugene wasbroken. 

Marlborough's eye, however, was everywhere; and galloping to thespot, he put himself at the head of some squadrons of Britishcavalry, and, closely followed by three battalions of freshinfantry, charged the Irish battalions, who, in the impetuosity oftheir pursuit, had fallen into disorder. The cavalry chargecompleted their confusion, and the infantry opening fire in flankon the lately victorious column, drove it back with immenseslaughter. Thus the battle was restored at this point. 

All this time the fight had raged between Eugene's array and theBavarians and French opposed to them. At first the prince had beensuccessful, and the Danes and Prussians under his orders captured abattery of six guns. His cavalry, however, while advancing in somedisorder, were charged by the French, driven back across the Nebel, and the guns were retaken. Twice the prince himself rallied hiscavalry, and brought them back to the charge, but each time theBavarian horse, led by the elector, drove them back, defeated andbroken, across the river. The Prussian and Danish infantry stoodtheir ground nobly, although the enemy charged them over and overagain; but, cheered by the presence of Prince Eugene, who took hisplace amongst them, they beat off all attacks. 

The Duke of Marlborough, after restoring the battle at Oberglau, rode back to his centre, and prepared for the grand attack by hiscavalry. Marshal Tallard, in preparation for the attack he sawimpending, brought up six battalions of infantry, and placed themin the centre of the ridge. Marlborough brought up three battalionsof Hessians to front them, placed the rest of his infantry to coverthe left of the cavalry from the attack of the strong battalions inBlenheim, and then, drawing his sword, placed himself in front ofhis troops, and ordered the trumpets to sound the advance. 

This grand and decisive charge is thus described by Allison in his"Life of Marlborough:"

"Indescribably grand was the spectacle that ensued. In compactorder, and in the finest array, the allied cavalry, mustering 8000sabres, moved up the gentle slope in two lines--at first slowly, ason a field day, but gradually more quickly as they drew near, andthe fire of the artillery became more violent. The French horse, 10, 000 strong, stood their ground at first firmly. The choicest andbravest of their chivalry were there; the banderolls of almost allthe nobles of France floated over the squadrons. 

"So hot was the fire of musketry and cannon when the assailantsdrew near, that their advance was checked. They retired sixtypaces, and the battle was kept up for a few minutes only by a fireof artillery. Gradually, however, the fire of the artilleryslackened; and Marlborough, taking advantage of the pause, led hiscavalry again to the charge. With irresistible vehemence the linedashed forward at full speed, and soon the crest of the ridge waspassed. The French horsemen discharged their carbines at aconsiderable distance with little effect, and immediately wheeledabout and fled. 

"The battle was gained. The allied horse rapidly inundated the openspace between the two villages. The six battalions in the middlewere surrounded, cut to pieces, or taken. They made a nobleresistance; and the men were found lying on their backs in theirranks as they had stood in the field. "

Thus at one blow the whole French line of defence was broken up. Blenheim was entirely cut off; and the rear of their left beyondOberglau threatened. 

General Marsin's cavalry, seeing the defeat of their main body, fell back to avoid being taken in rear; and Prince Eugene, seeingthe Bavarian infantry left unsupported, called up all his reserves, and advanced at the head of the Danes and Prussians against them. The Bavarian infantry fought stubbornly, but the battle was lost, their line of retreat threatened by the allied horse, who were nowmasters of the field, and, setting fire to the villages of Oberglauand Lutzingen, they fell back sullenly. 

In the meantime, Marshal Tallard was striving bravely to avert thedefeat. He brought up his last reserves, rallied his cavalry, anddrew them up in line stretching towards Blenheim in hopes ofdrawing off his infantry from that village. Marlborough brought uphis whole cavalry force, and again charging them, burst throughtheir centre, and the French cavalry, divided into two parts, fledin wild disorder--the one portion towards the Danube, the othertowards Hochstadt. Marlborough at the head of fifty squadronspursued the first body. Hanpesch with thirty followed the second. Marlborough drove the broken mass before him to the Danube, wheregreat numbers were drowned in attempting to cross; the rest weremade prisoners. Marshal Tallard himself, with a small body ofcavalry who still kept their ranks, threw himself into the villageof Sonderheim, and was there captured by the victorious squadrons. Hanpesch pursued the flying army as far as Hochstadt, capturedthree battalions of infantry on the way, and halted not until theFrench were a mere herd of fugitives, without order, riding fortheir lives. 

There now remained only the garrison of Blenheim to dispose of, andthe infantry were brought up to attack them. So strong were thedefences, however, so desperate the resistance offered by the bravebody of Frenchmen, who were now alone against an army, that theinfantry attack was beaten back. The guns were then brought up, andopened fire, and the French, whose case was now hopeless, surrendered. 

The battle of Blenheim was over. In this great battle Marlborough'sarmy lost 5000 men, Eugene's 6000. In all 11, 000 men. The Frenchand Bavarians lost in killed and wounded 12, 000, together with 1200officers and 13, 000 privates made prisoners, and 47 cannon. Theirtotal loss, including desertions in their retreat through the BlackForest, was estimated by their own historians at 40, 000 men--adefeat as complete and disastrous as that of Waterloo. 

Chapter 14: The Riot at Dort. 

The Duke of Marlborough lost no time in utilizing the advantagesgained by the victory of Blenheim. He at once raised the siege ofIngoldstadt, which, when all the country was in his power, mustsooner or later surrender, and detached a portion of the forcewhich had been there engaged to besiege Ulm, an important fortresson the Danube. Then with the bulk of his army he marched to theRhine, crossed at Philipsburg on the 6th of September, and advancedtowards Landau. 

Marshal Villeroi had constructed an entrenched camp to cover thetown; but on the approach of the victor of Blenheim he fell back, leaving Landau to its fate. Marlborough followed him, and madeevery effort to bring the French to a battle; but Villeroi fellback behind the Lauter, and then behind the Motter, abandoningwithout a blow one of the strongest countries in Europe. 

On the 11th of September Ulm surrendered, with 250 pieces ofcannon; and upon the following day, Landau was invested. The Princeof Baden with 20, 000 men conducted the siege, and Marlborough andEugene with 30, 000 covered the operations. Marlborough, however, determined on ending the campaign, if possible, by driving theFrench beyond the Moselle, and leaving Prince Eugene with 18, 000men, marched with 12, 000 men on the 14th of October. 

After a tremendous march through a wild and desolate country, hearrived with his exhausted troops at Treves on the 29th, one daybefore the arrival of 10, 000 French, who were advancing to occupyit. The garrison of 600 men in the citadel evacuated it at hisapproach. He immediately collected and set to work 6000 peasants torestore the fortifications. Leaving a garrison, he marched againstthe strong place of Traesbach. Here he was joined by twelve Dutchbattalions from the Meuse; and having invested the place, he leftthe Prince of Hesse to conduct the siege--which speedily ended inthe surrender of the place--and marched back with all haste torejoin Prince Eugene. 

Leaving Eugene to cover the siege of Landau, Marlborough nowhurried away to Hanover and Berlin, to stimulate the governments ofHanover and Prussia to renewed exertion; and by his address andconciliatory manner succeeded in making arrangements for 8000 freshPrussian troops to be sent to the imperial armies in Italy, as theDuke of Savoy had been reduced to the last extremity there by theFrench. 

The Electress of Bavaria, who had been regent of that country sinceher husband left to join the French, had now no resource butsubmission, and she accordingly agreed to disband her remainingtroops, and to make peace. 

The Hungarian insurrection was suppressed by Austria, now able todevote all its attention to that point: and Landau surrenderedtowards the end of November, when its garrison was reduced from7000 to 3500, who became prisoners of war. 

All these decisive results arose from the victory of Blenheim. Hadthe British Government during the winter acceded to Marlborough'srequest, and voted men and money, he would have been able to marchto Paris in the next campaign, and could have brought the war to anend; but the mistaken parsimony then, as often since, crippled theBritish general, allowed the French to recover from their disaster, prolonged the war for years, and cost the country very many timesthe money and the men that Marlborough had asked for to bring thewar to a decisive termination. 

But while the English and Dutch governments refused to vote moremoney or men, and the German governments, freed from their pressingdanger, became supine and lukewarm, the French, upon the contrary, set to in an admirable manner to retrieve the disasters they hadsuffered, and employed the winter in well-conceived efforts to takethe field with a new army, to the full as strong as that which theyhad lost; and the fruits of Blenheim were, with the exception ofthe acquisition of a few fortresses, entirely thrown away. 

At the battle of Blenheim, Rupert Holliday escaped untouched, butHugh was struck with a fragment of shell, and severely wounded. Hewas sent down the Rhine by water to the great military hospitalwhich had been established at Bonn; and Rupert, who was greatlygrieved at being separated from his faithful follower, had thesatisfaction of hearing ere long that he was doing well. 

Rupert had assigned him as orderly a strong, active young fellow, named Joe Sedley, who was delighted at his appointment, for the"little cornet" was, since his defeat of the German champion, thepride of the regiment. Joe was a Londoner, one of those fellows whocan turn their hand to anything, always full of fun, gettingsometimes into scrapes, but a general favourite with his comrades. 

The campaign over, Rupert, who was now a lieutenant, asked andobtained leave to go home for the winter; he had long since beenreconciled with his mother; and it was two years and a half sincehe had left home. Hugh and Joe Sedley had also obtained leave, uponRupert's application on their behalf. 

On his way down Rupert resolved to pay a visit for a few days tohis kind friends at Dort. They had written begging him to come andsee them; and a postscript which Maria had put in her last letterto him, to the effect that she had reason to believe that her oldpersecutor was in the neighbourhood, and that her father had takenrenewed precautions for her safety, added to his desire to visitDort. 

"That fellow's obstinacy is really admirable in its way, " Rupertsaid, on reading this news. "He has made up his mind that there isa fortune to be obtained by carrying off Maria van Duyk, and hesticks to it with the same pertinacity which other men display inthe pursuit of commerce or of lawful trade, or that a wild beastshows in his tireless pursuit of his prey. "

Had it not been for the postscript, Rupert would have deferred hisvisit to Dort until after his return from England, but the newscaused him serious uneasiness. He knew but too well theunscrupulous nature of this desperate man, whom he had heard ofsince his last attempt upon his life as being a leader of one ofthe bands of freebooters who, formed of deserters and otherdesperate men, frequented the Black Forest, the Vosges mountains, the Ardennes, and other forests and hill districts. That he woulddare lead his band down into the plains of Holland, Rupert had nofear; still he could have no difficulty in finding men of ruinedfortunes even there to join in any wild attempt. 

Leaving the army when it went into winter quarters, Ruperttravelled by land to Bonn, and there picked up Hugh, who was nowcompletely restored to health, and then, taking boat, journeyeddown the Rhine. Then he took horse again, and rode to Dort. 

Mynheer van Duyk and Maria were delighted to see him; and Hugh andSedley were hospitably received by the servants, with whom Hughhad, on the occasion of his last visit, made himself a primefavourite. 

For the first day of their arrival Rupert had all the talking todo, and his adventures to relate from the time he set sail fromDort. He had of course written from time to time, but his letters, although fairly full, did not contain a tithe of the detail whichhis friends were anxious to learn. The next morning, afterbreakfast, he asked his host if he was unwell, for he looked wornand anxious. 

"I am well in body, but disturbed in mind, " he said. "Six monthsago I stood well with my fellow citizens, and few were more popularin Dort than myself. Now, save among the better class, men lookaskance at me. Subtle whispers have gone abroad that I am incorrespondence with France; that I am a traitor to Holland; that Icorrespond with the Spanish at Antwerp. In vain have I tried toforce an open accusation, in order that I might disperse it. Themerchants, and others of my rank, scoff at these rumours, and havein full council denounced their authors as slanderers; but thelower class still hold to their belief. Men scowl as I walk along;the boys shout 'Traitor!' after me; and I have received threateningletters. "

"But this is abominable, " Rupert said, hotly. "Is there no way ofdealing with these slanderers?"

"No, " the merchant said; "I see none, beyond living it down. Someenemy is at work, steadily and powerfully. "

"Have you any enemy you suspect?"

"None, save indeed that rascal countryman of yours. He isdesperate, and, as you know, relentless. My house has always beenguarded by six stout fellows since we returned from the Hague; andany open attempt to carry off my daughter would be useless. It isdifficult to see what he proposes to himself by stirring up a partyagainst me; but he might have some scheme which we cannot fathom. Our Dutchmen are slow but obstinate, and once they get an idea intheir head it is difficult to discharge. "

"You do not fear any public tumult, surely?" Rupert said. 

"I do not anticipate it, and yet I regard it as possible, " Van Duyksaid. "The people in our town have been given to bursts of frenzy, in which some of our best men have been slain. "

"Why don't you go down to the Hague again till this madness haspassed by?"

"I cannot do that. My enemies would take advantage of it, and mightsack my house and warehouses. "

"But there is the burgher guard; and all the respectable citizensare with you. "

"That is true enough, " the merchant said; "but they are always slowto take action, and I might be killed, and my place burnt beforethey came on to the ground. I will send Maria with you down to theHague to her aunt's. If this be the work of the man we wot of, itmay be that he will then cease his efforts, and the bad feeling hehas raised will die away; but in truth, I shall never feel thatMaria is safe until I hear that his evil course has come to anend. "

"If I come across him, I will bring it to an end, and thatquickly, " Rupert said, wrathfully. "At any rate, I think that theburgomaster ought to take steps to protect the house. "

"The council laugh at the idea of danger, " Van Duyk said. "To themthe idea that I should be charged with dealing with the enemy is sosupremely ridiculous that they make light of it, and are inclinedto think that the state of things I describe is purely a matter ofmy own imagination. If I were attacked they would come as quicklyas they could to my aid; but they may be all too late. 

"There is one thing, Rupert. This enemy hates you, and desires yourdeath as much as he wishes to carry off my daughter, and throughher to become possessed of my money bags. If, then, this work ishis doing, assuredly he will bring it to a head while you are here, so as to gratify both his hate and his greed at once. "

"It is a pity that you cannot make some public statement, thatunless your daughter marries a man of whom you approve you willgive her no fortune whatever. "

"I might do that, " Van Duyk said; "but he knows that if he forcedher to marry him, I should still give her my money. In the secondplace, she has a large fortune of her own, that came to her throughher mother. And lastly, I believe that it is not marriage he wishesnow, for he must be sure that Maria would die rather than accepthim, but to carry her off, and then place some enormous sum as aransom on condition of her being restored safe and unharmed to me. He knows that I would give all that I possess to save her from hishands. "

"The only way out of it that I see, " Rupert said, "is for me tofind him, and put an end to him. "

"You will oblige me, Rupert, if, during the time you remain here, you would wear this fine mail shirt under your waistcoat. You donot wear your cuirass here; and your enemy might get a daggerplanted between your shoulders as you walk the streets. It islight, and very strong. It was worn by a Spanish general who fell, in the days of Alva, in an attack upon Dort. My great-grandfathershot him through the head, and kept his mail shirt as a trophy. "

"It is a useful thing against such a foe as this, " Rupert said, putting it on at once. "I could not wear it in battle, for it wouldbe an unfair advantage; but against an assassin all arms are fair. "

During the day Rupert went out with his host, and the scowlinglooks which were turned upon the latter convinced him that themerchant had not exaggerated the extent to which the feeling of thelower class had been excited against him. So convinced was he ofthe danger of the position, that, to the immense surprise of Hughand Joe Sedley, he ordered them to lie down at night in theirclothes, with their swords and pistols ready by them. With eightarmed men in the house--for four of the porters engaged in themerchant's warehouse slept on truckle beds placed in thehall--Rupert thought that they ought to be able to repel anyassault which might be made. 

It was on the fourth night after Rupert's coming to Dort, that hewas aroused by a touch on his shoulder. He leapt to his feet, andhis hand, as he did so, grasped his sword, which lay ready besidehim. 

"What is it?" he exclaimed. 

"There is mischief afloat, " Van Duyk said. "There is a sound as ofa crowd in front of the house. I have heard the tramp of manyfootsteps. "

Rupert went to the window and looked out. The night was dark, andthe oil lamps had all been extinguished; but it seemed to him thata confused mass filled the place in which the house stood. 

"Let me get the men under arms, " he said, "and then we can open thewindow, and ask what they want. "

In two minutes he returned. 

"Now, sir, let us ask them at once. They are probably waiting for aleader or order. "

The merchant went to the window, and threw it open. 

"Who is there?" he asked. "And what means this gathering at thedoor of a peaceful citizen?"

As if his voice had been the signal for which they waited, a roarwent up from the immense crowd. A thunder of axes at the door andshutters, and a great shout arose, "Death to the traitor! Death tothe Frenchmen!"

Shots were fired at the windows, and at the same moment the alarmbell at the top of the house pealed loudly out, one of the servingmen having previously received order to sound the signal if needed. In answer to the alarm bell, the watchman on the tower, whose dutyit was to call the citizens from their beds in case of fire, struckthe great bell, and its deep sounds rang out over the town. Twominutes later the church bells joined in the clamour; and the bellon the town hall with quick, sharp strokes called the burgher guardto arms. 

Van Duyk, knowing now that all that could be done had beeneffected, ran to his daughter's room, bade her dress, and keep herdoor locked until she heard his voice, come what may. Then he randownstairs to join the defenders below. 

"The shutters are giving everywhere, " Rupert cried. "We must holdthis broad staircase. How long will it be, think you, before theburgher guard are here?"

"A quarter of an hour, maybe. "

"We should beat them back for that time, " Rupert said. "Light asmany lights as you can, and place them so as to throw the light intheir faces, and keep us in the shade. "

In two or three minutes a smashing of timber and loud shouts oftriumph proclaimed that the mob were effecting an entrance. 

"For the present I will stand in front, with one of these goodfellows with their axes on each side of me. The other two shallstand behind us, a step or two higher. You, Hugh and Joe, take postwith our host in the gallery above with your pistols, and cover usby shooting any man who presses us hard. Fire slowly, pick off yourmen, and only leave your posts and join me here on the lastnecessity. "

They had just taken the posts assigned to them when the door fellin with a crash, and the mob poured in, just as a rush took placefrom the side passages by those who had made their way in throughthe lower windows. 

"A grim set of men, " Rupert said to himself. 

They were indeed a grim set. Many bore torches, which, when onceneed for quiet and concealment was over, they had lighted. 

Dort did a large export trade in hides and in meat to the townslying below them, and it was clear that it was from the butchersand skinners that the mob was chiefly drawn. Huge figures, withpoleaxes and long knives, in leathern clothes spotted and stainedwith blood, showed wild and fierce in the red light of the torches, as they brandished their weapons, and prepared to assault thelittle band who held the broad stairs. 

Rupert advanced a step below the rest, and shouted:

"What means this? I am an officer of the Duke of Marlborough'sarmy, and I warn you against lifting a hand against my host andgood friend Mynheer van Duyk. "

"It's a lie!" shouted one of the crowd. "We know you; you are aFrenchman masquerading in English uniform. 

"Down with him, my friends. Death to the traitors!"

There was a rush up the stairs, and in an instant the terriblefight began. 

On open ground, Rupert, with his activity and his straight sword, would have made short work of one of the brawny giants who nowattacked him, for he could have leapt out of reach of thetremendous blow, and have run his opponent through ere he couldagain lift his ponderous axe. But there was no guarding suchswinging blows as these with a light sword; and even the advantageof the height of the stairs was here of little use. 

At first he felt that the combat was desperate. Soon, however, heregained confidence in his sword. With it held ever straight infront of him, the men mounting could not strike without laying opentheir breasts to the blade. There must, he felt, be no guarding onhis part; he must be ever on the offensive. 

All this was felt rather than thought in the whirl of action. Oneafter another the leaders of the assailants fell, pierced throughthe throat while their ponderous axes were in the act ofdescending. By his side the Dutchman's retainers fought sturdily, while the crack of the pistols of Hugh, Joe Sedley, and the masterof the house were generally followed by a cry and a fall from theassailants. 

As the difficulty of their task became more apparent, the yells offury of the crowd increased. Many of them were half drunk, andtheir wild gestures and shouts, the waving of their torches, andthe brandishing of knives and axes, made the scene a sort ofpandemonium. 

Ten minutes had passed since the first attack, and still the stairswere held. One of the defenders lay dead, with his head cloven tohis shoulders with a poleaxe, but another had taken his place. 

Suddenly, from behind, the figure of a man bounded down the stairsfrom the gallery, and with a cry of "Die, villain!" struck Rupertwith a dagger with all his strength, and then bounded back into thegallery. Rupert fell headlong amid his assailants below. 

Hugh and Joe Sedley, with a shout of rage and horror, dashed fromtheir places, sword in hand, and leaping headlong down the stairs, cutting and hewing with their heavy swords, swept all oppositionback, and stood at the foot, over the body of Rupert. 

The three Dutchmen and Van Duyk followed their example, and formeda group round the foot of the stairs. Then there was a wild stormof falling blows, the clash of sword and axe, furious shouts, louddeath cries, a very turmoil of strife; when there was a cry at thedoor of "The watch!" and then a loud command:

"Cut the knaves down! Slay every man! Dort! Dort!"

There was a rush now to escape. Down the passages fled the lateassailants, pursued by the burgher guard, who, jealous of thehonour of their town, injured by this foul attack upon a leadingcitizen, cut down all they came upon; while many who made theirescape through the windows by which they had entered, were cut downor captured by the guard outside. The defenders of the stairs madeno attempt at pursuit. 

The instant the burgher guard entered the hall, Hugh and Joe threwdown their bloodstained swords, and knelt beside Rupert. 

"Ough!" sighed the latter, in a long breath. 

"Thank God! He is not dead. "

"Dead!" Rupert gasped, "not a bit of it; only almost trodden todeath. One of my stout friends has been standing on me all thetime, though I roared for mercy so that you might have heard me amile off, had it not been for the din. "

"But are you not stabbed, Master Rupert?"

"Stabbed! No; who should have stabbed me? One of you somehow hit meon the back, and down I went; but there is no stab. "

"He had a dagger. I saw it flash, " Hugh said, lifting Rupert to hisfeet. 

"Had he?" Rupert said; "and who was he?

"If it was an enemy, it is your coat of mail has saved me, " hecontinued, turning to Van Duyk. "I have never taken it off since. But how did he get behind me I wonder?

"Run, " he continued energetically, "and see if the lady is safe. There must have been mischief behind. "

Mynheer van Duyk, closely followed by the others, ran upstairs tohis daughter's room. The door was open. He rushed into the room. Itwas empty. The window was open; and looking out, two ladders wereseen, side by side. 

It was clear that while the fray had been raging, Maria von Duykhad been carried off. 

Chapter 15: The End of a Feud. 

After the first cry of rage and grief at the discovery of theabduction of Maria van Duyk, there was a moment's silence. Rupertbroke it, laying his hand on the shoulder of Van Duyk, who haddropped despairingly into a chair. 

"We will find her, " he said, "wherever she be. Let us lose nomoments in sorrow. Call up the burgomaster, or whoever leads theburghers, and let us consult. "

In another minute or two four of the principal magistrates of Dorthad joined the party, and Van Duyk told them what had happened. 

"I told her to lock the door, and not to open until she heard myvoice. Doubtless she was standing there listening to the strifewithout, when the men burst in at the window, and seized herbefore, in her surprise and terror, she had time to unlock thedoor. Now what is to be done to recover her? They have, no doubt, carried her off by boat, for they could not pass through thelandward gate of the town. 

"Will you order two fast boats, to be manned by strong parties ofrowers, with well-armed men? One had better go up the river, onedown; for we know not in which direction they will take theirflight. 

"What think you, Master Holliday?"

"I think that a boat had better go either way, without a moment'sloss of time, " Rupert said. "But I doubt whether either will findthem. But send the boats without a moment's delay, with orders tooverhaul and search every craft they overtake. "

The magistrates at once called in an officer of the guard, and gavehim the necessary instructions. 

"And why do you not think that either up or down the river theywill overtake them?" Van Duyk asked Rupert, as the officer left theroom. 

"Because they will know that a fleet horseman will pass them; andthat by morning the people at the towns on the banks will all be onthe lookout for them. So, having sent off the boats, I should nowsend off horsemen up and down the river, with a letter from you, sirs, to the authorities at all the towns, begging them to stop andsearch every boat. "

Again the necessary orders were given. 

"It was right to take these steps, " Rupert said, "for they may begreater fools than I take them to be; but I think that they havedone one of two things. They have gone either up or down the riverto some place, probably not far away, where horses are inreadiness, or--or, they may be still in the town. "

"Still in the town!"

"Yes, " Rupert said; "they will know that we should pursue them upand down the river; that we should scour the country round; butthey may think that we should not suspect that she is still here. There must be lots of secure hiding places in an old town likethis; and they may well think it safer to keep her hidden hereuntil they force her into marriage, or wring a fabulous ransom fromyou. "

"We will search every house, " the burgomaster said, "from cellar toroof. "

"It would be useless, " Rupert said. "There must be secret hidingplaces where she could be stowed away, bound and gagged perhaps, and which you could never detect. I would lose no moment of time insending out horsemen to every village on either side of the riverabove and below us, for a circle of twenty miles. If horsemen havepassed through, some villager or other is sure to have been awokeby the clatter of the horses. If we get news, we must follow up thetraces wherever they go. If not, it will be strong proof that theyare still here. In any case, our pursuit all over the country willlead them to think that we have no suspicion that she is here, andwe shall have far more chance of lighting upon a clue than if theythought we suspected it. Get trusty men to work at once. Questionthe prisoners your men have taken, with some sharp pain that willwring the truth from them; but let all be done quietly; while onthe other hand, let the chase through the country be as active andpublic as possible. "

Threats, and the application of a string twisted round the thumb, and tightened until the blood spurted from beneath the nails--roughmodes of questioning which had not yet died out--soon elicited fromthe captives the place where the arch-conspirator had been stayingwhile he laid the train for the explosion; but, as was expected, asearch showed that the bird had flown, without leaving a tracebehind him. 

Then, as there was nothing more to do until morning, and two scoreof horsemen had been sent off in different directions, and theofficers most acquainted with the haunts of the bad characters wereset quietly at work to search for some clue that might help to findthe hiding place of Maria, the magistrates took their leave withmany expressions of regret and commiseration with the merchant, andwith confession of a consciousness of deep fault that they had nottaken to heart his warnings. 

Long ere this the bodies of the score of rioters who had fallen onthe stairs, hall, and passages had been removed; and leaving theafflicted merchant for awhile to his thoughts, Rupert retired tohis room, telling Hugh and Joe to follow him. He explained to themexactly the steps which had been taken, and his opinion as to thetrue state of things; and bade them think the matter over in everylight, and to come to him at daybreak, and let him know if any planfor the conduct of the search had occurred to them. 

The result of the night's thoughts and of the morning'sdeliberations was conveyed to Mynheer van Duyk by Rupert. 

"The first thing to be done is to offer a large reward, sir, forany news which may lead to the discovery of your daughter. This mayor may not bring us in some information. The next thing is to havean eye kept on every boat by the quay which may have a cabin orhalf-deck capable of concealing a person wrapped up and bound. Also, that a watch should be set upon any fishing boat anchored inthe river, or moored against the banks, for miles round. It is verypossible that she was carried on board, and that there she may bekept, close to us, for days, or even weeks, until the hotness ofthe search is over, and they can pass up or down the river withoutbeing stopped and overhauled. "

"We will have every boat at the quay searched at once; and boatparties shall be sent off to examine every craft at anchor ormoored in the river. "

"I think, sir, that it behoves us to act with care, " Rupert said;"for knowing the desperate nature of this villain, I think itprobable that he would wreak his hate upon your daughter, and dosome terrible crime when he found that he was discovered, for heknows that his life is already forfeit. When we find out where sheis confined, to my mind the serious difficulty only commences, forit is absolutely necessary that the arrest be so prompt and sudden, that he shall not have time even to level a pistol at her. "

Van Duyk acknowledged the justice of Rupert's reasoning. 

"Hugh has suggested that it is likely that he has in his pay thesame boatmen whom he employed last year to murder us. As a firststep, let one of your clerks go down with an officer to the quay, and inquire what boats left here yesterday or in the night. Hughwill put on a rough fisherman's suit, and with his hat well downover his brows, will stroll along by the water, to see if herecognizes the face of any of the men. "

At eight o'clock in the morning there was a meeting of the councilof the town, to determine upon the measures to be taken to discoverthe authors of this disgraceful outbreak, and to take steps for therecovery of the daughter of the leading citizen of the town. Criershad already gone round to offer rewards for information; and aproclamation was now issued by the magistrates, calling upon everycitizen to do his best to aid in the search. A committee wasappointed, to investigate all information which might be broughtin. 

All Dort was in a state of excitement; parties of the burgher guardstill patrolled the town; numerous arrests were made in theskinners' and butchers' quarters; groups of people assembled andtalked over the events of the night; and indignation at the riotand assault upon Mynheer van Duyk, and pity for himself and hisdaughter, were loudly expressed on all sides. The authoritiesforbade any one from leaving the town by land or water without aspecial permit signed by the magistrates. 

The investigation as to the sailing of boats upon the previous dayproduced a long list of craft of various sizes and kinds that hadleft Dort. Besides those that had actually sailed, one or two hadleft the quay, and had anchored out in the river, and made fast tobuoys there. 

Hugh returned with the intelligence that he had recognized in aboatman loitering on the quay one of the crew of the boat in whichRupert and he had had so narrow an escape from drowning. Thecaptain of one of the merchant's own craft, of which there wereseveral at Dort, was sent for, and having received instructions asto his course, accompanied Hugh to the quay, and having had thefisherman pointed out to him, sauntered along, and after speakingto several men, entered into conversation with him. A confidentialagent of the merchant was also ordered to keep at a distance, butto watch every movement, however minute and insignificant, of thesuspected man. 

The captain's report was soon given in. He had asked the man if hewanted a berth in a ship just going to sail for England, one of thecrew having fallen sick at the last moment. He had refused, as hebelonged to a boat just about to sail for Bergen op Zoom, and hehad nodded towards a large decked boat riding in the river. Fearingto excite suspicion, he had asked no further question, but hadturned to another man standing near, and asked him if he would makethe voyage. 

It was considered certain by Rupert and Van Duyk that Maria waseither already confined in that boat, or that she would be takenthere when it was considered safe to start. A close scrutiny of theboat with a telescope showed that two men were on board her. Theyappeared to be smoking, and idling about. 

In the meantime, at the Town Hall the committee were busy inexamining the reports brought in by the horsemen--whose talesagreed, inasmuch as in none of the villages visited by them had anystir or unusual movement been heard through the night--and inhearing the evidence of innumerable people, who were all anxious togive information which appeared to them to bear upon the outrage. 

Van Duyk himself, like one distracted, wandered from place toplace. 

Presently the spy set to watch the fisherman came in with hisreport. He said that it was clear that the man was anxious and illat ease; that after an hour's waiting, a man came and spoke a wordto him, and passed on; that the fisherman then got into a smallboat and rowed out towards his vessel, but that he did not watchhim further, thinking it better to follow the man up who had spokento him. After walking about aimlessly for a short time, as if tosee whether he was watched, he had proceeded some distance alongthe quay, and had then gone into a large house used as a tavern andsailors' boardinghouse, but which did but a small trade, thelandlord having a bad name in the place. 

A boat, with a strong armed party, was ordered to be in readinessto follow at once if the fishing boat sailed; to keep at adistance, but to follow her wherever she went, and at her nextlanding place to pounce suddenly upon her and search her. Then thewhole attention of the searchers was directed to the tavern inquestion. 

It was agreed that Maria was not likely to be in confinement there, as, it having been the house at which it had been ascertained thatSir Richard Fulke had, previous to the last attempt on Rupert, stayed in hiding, it would be suspected, and might be searched. Thestrictest watch was now set upon the house, and everyone leaving itwas followed. Many came out and in, sailors from the quay or theships lying there; but in none of their movements was anythingsuspicious found. 

At five in the afternoon a boy of twelve years old, a son of thelandlord, came out. He looked suspiciously round, and then walkedalong the quay. As he passed a house of considerable size, he againlooked round, pulled the bell twice, hastily, and then walked on. He made a long detour, and returned to the tavern. 

Not a moment was lost in following up the clue. The house inquestion had been unoccupied for some time. The owner was, however, known to Van Duyk, who at once called upon him. He said that he hadlet it some weeks before, to a person who had stated that he was amerchant of Amsterdam, and intended to open a branch house at Dort. He had paid him six months' rent in advance, and had received thekeys of the house. He believed that some of his party had arrived, as he had himself seen two men go in, but the house was certainlynot yet open for business. 

Rupert, who had been all day at work following out other cluesgiven by persons who had come forward, returned just as Mynheer vanDuyk came back with the news. 

"Thank God!" he said, "There is an end to uncertainty. Yourdaughter is in that house, beyond all doubt. It is only a questionof action now. Let us call in the burgomaster and the chiefconstable, and discuss how the rescue is to be effected. It isprobable that he has with him a dozen desperate fellows of hisBlack Forest gang, and the task of so arranging it that we mayinterpose between her and the arch-villain is a difficult oneindeed. While you send for these officials, I will go andreconnoitre the house; it is quite dark. "

The house differed little from its fellows. It was old, withgables, and each floor projected beyond the one below it. A dimlight was visible in one of the upper rooms, while a far brighterlight shone through the folds of curtains which had been drawnacross a window lower down. Rupert drew his own conclusions. 

Returning, he found the burgomaster and chief constable alreadywith Mynheer van Duyk. After much discussion it was agreed thatthirty picked men should be at Rupert's orders at ten that night, an hour at which all Dort would already be sound asleep. 

The chief constable then proceeded with Rupert to the housessituated behind that which was intended to be attacked. It wasreconnoitred from that side, and found to be in darkness. Theowners of these houses, strictly charged to secrecy, were informedof what was going on, and promised all aid in their power. A dozenladders of various lengths were now got together. 

Then they went to the house adjoining, and made their way out on tothe roof. This, like many of the Dort houses, was furnished with aterrace, placed between the gabled roofs, which rose sharply oneither side. Here the owner, if disposed, could sit and smoke, andlook on the river. A table and benches were placed here, and a fewtubs with shrubs and flowers. 

A short, light ladder was brought up, and Rupert climbed up thesteep roof, drew up his ladder, and descended on the other side. The steep roof of the next house now faced him, and he was soonover this also, and stood on the little terrace of the house wherehe believed Maria was a prisoner. It in all respects resembled thathe had left. The door leading to it appeared strong and firmlyfastened. He now retraced his steps. 

Then some light ladders were brought up and placed in position onthe two roofs, and all was ready for a party to pass over onto theterrace. 

At ten o'clock, then, accompanied by Mynheer van Duyk and the twotroopers, he went to the spot where the force was assembled, andtold them off to the duties he had assigned to them. 

Eight were to enter the next house with Hugh and Joe Sedley, wereto pass, by means of the ladders, over the roof on to the terrace. They were to carry heavy axes and crowbars, and to beat down thedoor and rush downstairs the instant the signal was given. 

Sixteen were to raise eight ladders at the back of the house, andplace them close to the windows. Two were to take post at each, ready to burst in the window and rush in at the signal. 

The remaining six were to bring a long ladder to the front of thehouse, and place it against the upper window, where the light was. Two were to follow Rupert up this ladder, the other four to placethemselves at the front door, and cut down all who tried to escape. 

Rupert's object in attacking at so many different points was so toconfuse the occupants of the house by the suddenness and noise ofthe assault that they would be unable to rally and carry out anyplan they might have formed, before the assailants could muster insufficient force to overcome them. 

Orders were also issued for a party of men to proceed to the quay, and to arrest and carry off anyone they might find hanging aboutthere. 

All arranged, the party moved off and the work was begun. Thickrolls of flannel had been fastened round the ends of the ladders, so as to prevent the slightest noise being made when they came incontact with the wall. Rupert saw the ladders planted at the backof the house, and the men ready to climb to their places. He thenmoved round to the front; here the ladder was also fixed. A lightflashed down from the terrace above showed that here too the partywere in position; and Rupert began to mount, followed by Van Duyk, who had insisted upon taking that post, so as to be ready to springto the assistance of his child at the first attack. The ladderreached exactly to the window, and as his eyes reached the levelRupert peered anxiously in. 

At a table, on which burned a candle, sat a man with a huge bowl ofliquor and a brace of pistols before him. On a pallet bed in acorner lay a figure, which Rupert felt sure was that of Maria. Rupert doubted not in the least that the order to the watcher wasto kill her at the first alarm. Twice he raised his pistol, twicewithdrew it. If he did not kill the man on the spot, Maria's lifewould be clearly forfeited. Under such circumstances he dared notfire. 

After a moment's thought he gave a sharp tap at the window, andthen shrank below the level of the window, and with both hispistols pointed upwards, he waited. As he expected, in a moment thewindow darkened, and the figure of a man was seen trying to lookout into the darkness. As he leaned against the glass, Rupertdischarged both his pistols into his body, and then, leaping up, dashed in the window, and leapt over the man's body into the room. 

Maria had sprung up with a scream. 

"You are safe, Maria, " Rupert exclaimed, as he ran to the door. "Here is your father. "

The discharge of the pistol had been the signal, and with it came asound of heavy blows, the crashing of timber, and the shivering ofglass. Then rose shouts and furious exclamations, and then a greattramping sounded through the late silent house. Doors and windowshad all given way at the onset; and as Sir Richard Fulke with eightcomrades rushed upstairs, Hugh and his party ran down. 

Torches had been provided, and lanterns, and as three of Hugh's mencarried them the broad landing was lighted up. Sir Richard Fulkefirst turned to the door of Maria's room, but there Rupert and twofollowers stood with drawn swords. 

"Cut them down! Cut them down!" he shouted; but the rush of Hugh, Joe Sedley, and the rest swept him back, and he fought now todefend his life. 

Up the stairs from behind ran the officers who had gained entry bythe windows; and the outlaws saw themselves surrounded and hedgedin. They fought desperately but vainly, and one by one fell underthe blows of their assailants. 

Rupert stood immovable on guard. He knew the desperate nature ofhis enemy, and feared that if he himself were drawn for a momentfrom his post into the conflict, he would rush past and endeavourto avenge himself upon them all by killing Maria. 

At last, when most of his followers had fallen, Sir Richard Fulkemade a sudden dash through his assailants, and fled up the stairstowards the door on the roof. Rupert, who had never for a momenttaken his eye off him, followed at full speed, shouting to Hugh tobring torches and follow. 

Short as was the start that was gained, it nearly sufficed for thedesperate man's escape; as Rupert gained the terrace, he wasalready nearly at the top of the ladder against the roof. Rupertseized the ladder, and jerked it sideways. Sir Richard made a graspat the crest of the roof, and then rolled down on to the terrace. 

Rupert rushed forward, but the torches had not yet come, and hisenemy was on his feet and upon him, with the advantage which thelight coming up the stairs afforded him, and striking down hisguard, rushed in and grappled with him. Rupert dropped his sword, which was useless now, and struggled for his life. He felt what hisenemy's object was, to throw both over the end of the terrace. Hewas strong and athletic, but he was far from being a match for hisolder opponent, to whom rage, despair, and hatred lent a prodigiousstrength. 

"Hugh, " he shouted, "Quick! Quick!"

Joe Sedley was the first to leap to the terrace with a torch, andstood for a moment aghast as he saw the deadly struggle going on, close to the slight wooden railing which ran along the edge of theterrace; then he sprang forward, and just as the struggling foescrashed through the woodwork, and were in the very act of fallingover the low stone parapet, he dashed the torch in Sir Richard'sface, while at the same moment he grasped Rupert's shoulder with agrip of iron, and dragged him back; as his foe loosed his graspwhen the torch struck him in the face, and dropped in the darkness. 

"A close squeak that, sir. The fellow died hard, " Joe Sedley said, cheerily. 

"It was indeed, Joe. I owe my life to you. "

"Oh, it was all in the way of business, sir. You'll likely enoughdo as much for me in our next charge. "

Hugh was up a moment after Joe Sedley, for the latter had beennearer to a man with a torch, but he just saw the narrow escape hismaster had, and was so shaken that his hand trembled as he wrungthat of his comrade. 

"I must stick to my sword, another time, " Rupert said. "I am Davidwithout his sling without it, and any Goliath who comes along canmake short work of me. Now let us go below and see after Miss vanDuyk, and assure ourselves that our enemy is dead at last. As hesaid in the boat, I shall never feel quite safe till I know forcertain that he is dead. "

Chapter 16: Ramilies. 

Neither Rupert Holliday nor Maria van Duyk would be troubled morewith Sir Richard Fulke. He was absolutely and unquestionably dead. He had fallen on his head, and death had been instantaneous. In theman whom Rupert shot through the window, Hugh and he recognized thefellow who had been his accomplice in the attempt to carry offMaria in London. 

Maria was wholly uninjured, although she was days before she wasable to speak with comfort, so roughly had the gag been thrust intoher mouth. She had not seen her chief abductor after she had beencarried off, as Sir Richard must have felt that it was in vaineither to threaten or to sue until he had got her in safety farfrom Dort. 

Leaving the rest of the gang to be dealt with by the authorities, Rupert with his followers left Dort two days later, happy in havingfinally freed his friends from the danger which had so long menacedthem. Mynheer van Duyk said but little; but Rupert knew how deepwere his feelings of gratitude; and he again sighed deeply over thefact that Rupert was still but little over eighteen. Maria herselfwas equally grateful. 

Van Duyk would have freighted a shipful of presents to Rupert'sfriends in England, but the latter would not hear of it. Heinsisted, however, on sending a pipe of magnificent old Burgundyfor the colonel's drinking; while Maria sent a stomacher of antiqueworkmanship, with valuable gems, to Madame Holliday. 

No adventure marked their homeward journey. Their ship took themrapidly with a fair wind to London Bridge; and Rupert and Hughstarted next day by the coach for Derby, the former having made JoeSedley a handsome present, to enable him to enjoy his holiday, andan invitation to come down to Windthorpe Chace when he was tired ofLondon. 

A letter had been written from Holland a few days before starting, to announce their coming, but it was, of course, impossible in thedays of sailing ships to fix a day for arrival. 

Hiring a chaise, they drove to Windthorpe Chace, where the delightboth of Mistress Holliday and of the colonel was unbounded. Hugh, too, was greeted very warmly by both, for Rupert had done fulljustice to the services he had rendered him. It was difficult torecognize in the dashing looking young officer and the stalwarttrooper the lads who but two years and a half before had riddenaway posthaste from the Chace. Hugh was driven off to the farm; andRupert remained alone with his mother and the colonel, whooverwhelmed him with questions. 

The colonel had changed but little, and bid fair to live to a greatage. His eye was bright, and his bearing still erect. He scarcelylooked sixty-five, although he was more than ten years older. 

Mistress Dorothy was, Rupert thought, softer and kinder than ofold. Her pride, and to some extent her heart, had met with a rudeshock, but her eyes were now fully open to the worthlessness of herformer suitor, who had lately been obliged to fly the country, having been detected at cheating at cards. 

Colonel Holliday rejoiced when he heard of the pipe of primeBurgundy, which started from London on the day Rupert left; whileMistress Dorothy was enchanted with the stomacher, which her sonproduced from his trunk. 

"Have you ever heard from Monsieur Dessin, grandfather? You told methat he said he would write and tell you his real name. "

"I doubt not that he did so, Rupert; but the carriage of lettersbetween this and France is precarious. Only smugglers or such likebring them over, and these, except when specially paid, care butlittle for the trouble. That he wrote I am certain, but his letterhas not reached me, which I regret much. "

The six months at home passed rapidly. Rupert fell into his oldways; rode and hawked, and occasionally paid state visits to thegentry of the neighbourhood, by whom, as one of Marlborough'ssoldiers, he was made much of. 

"I think this soldiering life makes one restless, Master Rupert, "Hugh said one day when the time was approaching for their start. "Ifeel a longing to be with the troop again, to be at work anddoing. "

"I feel the same, Hugh; but you would not find it so, I think, ifyou had come home for good. Then you would have your regularpursuits on the farm, while now you have simply got tired of havingno work to do. When the war is over, and we have done soldiering, you will settle down on one of the farms of the Chace. Madame saysyou shall have the first that falls vacant when you come home. Thenyou will take a wife, and be well content that you have seen theworld, and have something to look back upon beyond a six milescircuit of Derby. "

The next campaign may be passed over briefly. The parsimony ofEngland and Holland, and the indifference of Germany, spoiled allthe plans of Marlborough, and lost the allies all the benefits ofthe victory of Blenheim. The French, in spite of their heavylosses, took the field in far greater force than the allies; andinstead of the brilliant offensive campaign he had planned, Marlborough had to stand on the defensive. 

The gallantry of his English troops, and the effect which Blenheimhad produced upon the morale of the French, enabled him to hold theground won, and to obtain several minor successes; one notably atthe Dyle, where Villeroi's troops were driven out of linesconsidered impregnable, but where the pusillanimity and ill will ofthe Dutch generals prevented any substantial results beingobtained; but no important action took place, and the end of 1705found things in nearly the same state that 1704 had left them. 

The non success of the campaign undid some of the harm which thesuccess of that of 1704 had effected. In Flanders the genius of theduke had enabled the allies to maintain their ground; but on theRhine they had done badly, and in Italy the French had carried allbefore them. Therefore while after Blenheim an apathy had fallen onthe victors, so now the extent of the danger moved them to freshexertions. 

Marlborough, after seeing his army into winter quarters, visitedthe capitals of Vienna, Berlin, and the Hague, and again by thecharm of his manner succeeded in pacifying jealousies, in healingquarrels, and in obtaining the promises of vigorous action andlarger armaments in the spring. 

The bad conduct of the Dutch generals had created such a generalcry of indignation through Europe, that the States General werecompelled, by the pressure of public opinion, to dismiss several ofthe men who had most distinguished themselves by thwarting theplans of Marlborough, and interposing on every occasion between himand victory. Consequently the campaign of 1706 seemed likely toopen with far brighter prospects of success than its predecessorshad done. 

Suddenly, however, all the arrangements broke down. TheImperialists had just suffered another reverse in Italy; andmatters looked so desperate there, that Marlborough proposed topass the Alps with an army of 40, 000 men to their assistance, andthere, as he would have the warm cooperation of Prince Eugeneinstead of the cowardice of the Dutch generals, and the incapacityand obstinacy of the Prince of Baden, he anticipated the completediscomfiture of the French. 

In these hopes, however, he was thwarted. The Prince of Baden woulddo nothing beyond defending his own dominion. The cabinets ofBerlin and Copenhagen fell to quarrelling, and both refused tosupply their promised contingents. The Hanoverians and Hessians hadalso grievances, and refused to join in any general plan, or tosend their troops to form part of the allied army. Thus all ideasof a campaign in the south were destroyed; but Marlboroughpersuaded the Dutch to send 10, 000 of the troops in their payacross the Alps to assist Prince Eugene, under the promise that hewith the English and Dutch troops would defend Flanders. 

So the campaign commenced; and on the 19th of May Marlboroughjoined his army, which lay encamped on the Dyle, on the Frenchfrontier. On the 22nd a Danish contingent, which had at the lastmoment been dispatched in answer to an urgent appeal of the duke, arrived; and his army now consisted of 73 battalions and 123squadrons, in all 60, 000 men, with 120 guns. Marshal Villeroi'sforce, which lay on the other side of the Dyle, consisted of 74battalions and 128 squadrons--62, 000 men, with 130 guns. They hadalso, as at Blenheim, the advantage that the troops were all of onenationality, and accustomed to act together, while Marlborough'sarmy consisted of troops of three nations, at least half of themnew to war, and unused to act with each other. 

Marlborough opened the campaign by moving towards Tirlemont, with aview of laying siege to Namur, where many of the citizens wereanxious to throw off the French yoke. Villeroi, anxious to coverNamur, moved his troops out from their quarters on the Dyle to stopthe advance of the allies, and bring on a battle in the open field. 

The ground taken up by the French marshal was exceedingly strong. Marlborough was aware of the great importance of the position, andhad made every effort to be the first to seize it; but the Frenchhad less distance to march, and when the allied troops arrivedwithin sight of the ground, the French were already in camp uponMont Saint Andre. 

Mont Saint Andre is an extensive and elevated plateau, being, indeed, the highest ground in Brabant. From it four rivers taketheir rise--the Great Gheet, the Little Gheet, the Dyle, and theMehaigne. The French camp was placed immediately above the sourcesof the two Gheets. 

The plan of the battle should be examined carefully, and the eventsof the great battle will then be understood without difficulty. 

The descents from the plateau to the Great Gheet are steep andabrupt. The other rivers rise in wet marshes, in some placesimpassable. The French left was on the crest of the ridge, abovethe marshes of the Little Gheet, and extended to the village ofAutre Eglise; while the extreme right stood on the high groundoverlooking the sources of the Mehaigne. The village of Tavieres, in front of the right, was strongly held; while in the villages ofOffuz and Ramilies, opposite their centre, were numerous infantry, no less than twenty battalions occupying Ramilies. 

The great bulk of the French cavalry were arranged in two lines ontheir right, the extreme right of their cavalry being in front ofthe tomb, or barrow, of the ancient German hero Ottomond; thehighest part of the ridge, and commanding the whole field ofbattle. 

Marlborough, having with the Dutch General Overkirk, a loyal andgallant old man, reconnoitred the ground, immediately formed hisplan of attack. 

The French position was somewhat in the form of a bow, the endsbeing advanced. They would therefore have more difficulty insending troops from one end to the other of their line than wouldthe allies, who could move in a direct line along, as it were, thestring of the bow; and the ground was sufficiently undulating toenable the movements of troops to be concealed from the enemy onthe plateau. 

The commanding position of Ottomond's tomb appeared the key of thewhole battleground; and Marlborough determined to make his mainattack on this point, first deceiving the enemy by a feigned attackon their left. Accordingly, he formed, in a conspicuous position, aheavy column of attack, opposite the French left, and menacing thevillage of Autre Eglise. 

Villeroi, believing that the main attack would be made there, moveda considerable body of his infantry from his centre behind Offuz, to reinforce Autre Eglise. 

As the column of attack advanced, a large portion was withdrawn bya dip behind the rising ground on which the others advanced, andmoved rapidly towards the left centre; the Danish horse, twentysquadrons strong, being directed to the same spot. The smoke of theadvance towards Autre Eglise, and the nature of the ground, concealed all these movements from the French, who directed a veryheavy artillery fire on the column advancing against Autre Eglise. 

Suddenly the real attack began. Five Dutch battalions advancedagainst Tavieres; twelve battalions under General Schultz, supported by a strong reserve, moved to attack Ramilies. 

The vehemence of their attack showed Villeroi that he had beendeceived; but he had now no infantry available to move to reinforcethe troops in the threatened villages. He therefore orderedfourteen squadrons of dragoons to dismount, and with two Swissbattalions to advance to the support of Tavieres. They arrived, however, too late, for before they could reach the spot, the Dutchbattalions had, with great gallantry, carried the village; and theDuke of Marlborough, launching the Danish horse on the supports asthey came up, cut them up terribly, and threw back the remnant inconfusion upon the French cavalry, advancing to charge. 

Overkirk now charged the French cavalry with the first of theallied horse, broke and drove them back; but at this moment, whenthe allied cavalry were in disorder after their success, the secondline of French cavalry, among whom were the Royal life guards, burst upon them, drove them back in great confusion, and restoredthe battle in that quarter. 

The danger was great, for the victorious cavalry might have sweptround, and fallen upon the rear of the infantry engaged in theattack upon Ramilies. Marlborough saw the danger, and puttinghimself at the head of seventeen squadrons of dragoons, and sendingan aide-de-camp to order up twenty squadrons still in reserve, charged the French life guards. The French batteries on the heightsbehind Ramilies poured in so dreadful a fire that the cavalryhesitated, and some French troopers, recognizing the duke, made adash at him as he rode ahead of the troops. 

In an instant he was surrounded; but before any of his troops couldride to his rescue, he cut his way through the French troopers, sword in hand. As his horse tried to leap a wall it fell, and theenemy were again upon him. At this moment Rupert Holliday, whosetroop was in the front line, arrived on the spot, followed by Hughand half a dozen other troopers, and some of the Duke's personalstaff. 

A desperate fight raged round the general, until the cavalrycharged heavily down to the rescue of their beloved leader. Butthey were still over matched and pressed backwards by the Frenchguards. At this critical time, however, the twenty squadrons of thereserve arrived on the ground, and charged the French cavalry infront, while the Danish cavalry, who had been detained by morasses, fell at the same moment on their flank, and the French cavalry fellback in confusion. Forming the allied cavalry in two lines, Marlborough led them forward in person, and sweeping aside allresistance, they halted not until they reached the summit ofOttomond's tomb, where they were visible to the whole army, while atremendous shout told friend and foe alike that the key of thewhole position had been gained, and victory in that part of thefield secured. 

All this time the twenty French battalions in Ramilies under theMarquis Maffie had fought obstinately, although far removed fromsuccour. Gradually, however, they were driven out of the village. The British had fresh battalions of infantry available, and thesewere sent against them, and the victorious horse charging them inflank, they were almost all made prisoners or destroyed. 

The fight had lasted but three hours, and the victory was completeon the right and left. The confusion was, however, great, andMarlborough halted his troops and reformed them, before advancingto the final attack; while Marshal Villeroi strove on his part alsoto reform his troops, and to take up a new front. The roads, were, however, choked with baggage waggons and artillery, and before thetroops could take up their fresh posts, the allies were ready. Thecharge was sounded, and horse and foot advanced to the attack onthe centre, while the troops who had commenced the battle by theirdemonstration against Autre Eglise joined in the general attack. 

Confused and disheartened, the French did not await the onslaught, but broke and fled. The Spanish and Bavarian horse guards made agallant attempt to stem the tide of defeat, but were cut to pieces. The battle was now over. It was a rout and a pursuit, and theBritish horse, under Lord Orkney, pursued the fugitives until theyreached Louvain, at two o'clock in the morning. 

In the battle of Ramilies the French lost in killed and wounded7000 men, and 6000 were taken prisoners. They lost 52 guns, theirwhole baggage and pontoon train, and 80 standards. Among theprisoners were the Princes de Soubise and Rohan, while among thekilled were many nobles of the best blood of France. 

The Allies lost 1066 killed, and 2567 wounded, in all 3633 men. 

But great as was the victory itself, the consequences were evenmore important. Brussels, Louvain, Mechlin, Alost, Luise, and allthe chief towns of Brabant, speedily opened their gates to theconqueror. Ghent and Bruges, Darn and Oudenarde, followed theexample. Of all the cities of Flanders, Antwerp, Ostend, Nieuport, and Dunkirk, with some smaller fortresses, alone held out for theFrench. 

The Duke of Marlborough issued the most stringent orders for theprotection and fair treatment of the inhabitants, and so won suchgeneral goodwill among the populations, that when he advanced onAntwerp the local troops and citizens insisted on a surrender; andthe French troops capitulated, on condition of being allowed tomarch out with the honours of war, and to be escorted safely to theFrench frontier. Ostend was then besieged, and captured after abrave resistance; and then, after a desperate resistance, theimportant and very strong fortress of Menin was carried by assault, 1400 of the storming party, principally British, being slain at thebreach. Dindermande and Ath were next taken, and the allied armythen went into winter quarters, after a campaign as successful, andfar more important in its results, than that of Blenheim. 

Chapter 17: A Prisoner of War. 

In the brilliant results which arose from the victory at Ramilies, Rupert Holliday had no share. The 5th dragoons formed part of thecavalry force which, when the battle was over, pursued the brokenFrench cavalry to the gates of Hochstad. 

In the pursuit, along a road encumbered with deserted waggons, tumbrels, and guns, the pursuers after nightfall became almost asmuch broken up as the pursued. 

Rupert's horse towards the end of the pursuit went dead lame, andhe dismounted in order to see if he could do anything to its hoof. He found a sharp stone tightly jammed in the shoe, and wasstruggling to get this out when the troop again moved forward. Notdoubting that he would overtake them in a minute or two, andfearing that unless his horse was relieved of the stone it wouldbecome so lame that it would not be able to carry him back, Ruperthammered away at it with a large boulder from the road. It was alonger job than he had anticipated, and five minutes elapsed beforehe succeeded in getting the stone out, and then, mounting hishorse, he rode briskly forward. Presently he came to a point wherethe road forked. He drew rein and listened, and thought he heardthe tramping of horse on the road that led to the left. As he rodeon the noise became louder, and in another five minutes he came upto the troop. 

It was quite dark, and riding past the men, he made his way to thehead of the column. 

"I have had an awful bother in getting rid of that stone, " he said, as he rode up to the leader. "I began to think that I should loseyou altogether. It is quite a chance I took this road. "

"An unfortunate chance, sir, for you. A fortunate one for us, " theofficer he addressed said in English, but with a strong accent, "since you are our prisoner, " and as he spoke he laid his hand onRupert's bridle. 

Rupert gave an exclamation of horror at finding the mistake that hehad made, but he saw at once that resistance would be useless. 

"Je me rends, monsieur. But what horrible luck. "

The three French officers at the head of the troop burst into alaugh. 

"Monsieur, " the one who had first spoken said, now in his nativetongue, "we are indebted to you, for you have made us laugh, andheaven knows we have had little enough to laugh at today. But howcame you here? Your cavalry have taken the upper road. We weredrawn up to make a last charge, when we heard them turn off thatway; and were, I can tell you, glad enough to get off without morefighting. We have had enough of it for one day. "

As the speaker proceeded, Rupert became more and more convincedthat he knew the voice; and the fact that the speaker wasacquainted with English, the more convinced him that he was right. 

"I stopped to get rid of a stone in my horse's hoof, " he said. "IfI had only had a fight for it I should not have minded, but noteven to have the pleasure of exchanging a pass or two with one ofyou gentlemen is hard indeed. "

"It is just as well that you did not, " one of the officers said, "for Monsieur le Marquis de Pignerolles is probably the bestswordsman in our army. "

"The Marquis de Pignerolles, " Rupert said, courteously; "it wouldhave been a pleasure to have crossed swords with him, but scarcelyfair, for he knows already that he is not a match for me. "

"What!" exclaimed the marquis himself and the two officers, inastonishment. 

"You are pleased to joke, sir, " the marquis said haughtily. 

"Not at all, " Rupert said, gravely. "You have met two persons whowere your match. You remember Monsieur Dalboy?"

"Dalboy!" the marquis said. "Surely, surely, le Maitre Dalboy, yet--?"

"No, I am assuredly not Monsieur Dalboy, " Rupert said. "And theother?"

The marquis reined in his horse suddenly. 

"What!" he said, "you are--?"

"Rupert Holliday, my dear Monsieur Dessin. "

"My dear, dear lad, " the marquis exclaimed. "What pleasure! Whatdelight!" and drawing his horse by the side of Rupert he embracedhim with affection. 

"My friends, " he said to the other officers, who were naturallyastonished at this sudden recognition between their prisoner andtheir colonel, "gentlemen, this English officer is my very dearfriend. What kindness have I not received from his grandfatherduring my time of exile! While to himself I am deeply indebted. 

"What a fortunate chance, that if you were to have the bad luck tobe made prisoner, you should fall into my hands of all men. I wishthat I could let you go, but you know--"

"Of course, of course, " Rupert said. "Really I am hardly sorry, since it has brought us together again. "

"Did you recognize my name?" the marquis said. 

"No indeed, " Rupert answered. "The letter which, we doubted not, that you wrote to my grandfather, never came to hand, and we neverknew what Monsieur Dessin's real name was, so that Colonel Hollidaydid not know to whom to write in France. "

"I wrote twice, " the marquis said, "but I guessed that the lettershad never arrived. And the good gentleman your grandfather, he isstill alive and well?"

"As well as ever, " Rupert said, "and will be delighted to hear ofyou. 

"Mademoiselle is well, I trust?"

"Quite well, and quite a belle at the court, I can assure you, " themarquis said. "But there are the gates of Louvain. You will, ofcourse, give me your parole not to try to escape, and then you cancome straight to my quarters with me, and I need not report you fora day or so. We shall be in fearful confusion tonight, for half ourarmy is crowding in here, and every one must shift for himself. 

"Peste! What a beating you have given us! That Marlborough of yoursis terrible. 

"I know some people here, " he said, turning to the officers. "Theywill take us four in, and the men must picket their horses in thecourtyard and street, and lie down in their cloaks. Tomorrow wewill see what is to be done, and how many have escaped from theterrible debacle. "

The streets of Louvain were crowded with fugitives, some of themhad thrown themselves down by the sidewalks, utterly exhausted;others mingled with the anxious townsmen, and related the incidentsof the disastrous day; while the horses stood, with drooping heads, huddled together along the middle of the street. It was only bymaking long detours that the Marquis de Pignerolles reached thehouse of which he was in search. Late as was the hour the inmateswere up, for the excitement at Louvain was so great that no one hadthought of going to bed; and Monsieur Cardol, his wife and family, did all in their power for their guests. 

Supper was quickly laid for the four gentlemen; a barrel of winewas broached for the troops, and what provisions were in the housewere handed over to them. 

"Now let us look at you, " the Marquis de Pignerolles said, as theyentered the brightly lighted room. "Ah, you are a man now; but yourface has little changed--scarcely at all. "

"I am scarcely a man yet, " Rupert said, laughing. "I am just twentynow; it is rather more than four years since we parted, withouteven saying goodbye. "

"Yes, indeed, Rupert. I tried to do you a good turn in the matterof the Brownlows. I hope it succeeded. "

"It did indeed, " Rupert said. "We are indeed indebted to you foryour intervention then. You saved my lady mother from a wretchedmarriage, and you saved for me the lands of Windthorpe Chace. "

"Ah, I am glad it came off well. But I am your debtor still, mindthat; and always shall be. And now to supper. First, though, I mustintroduce you formally to my comrades, and to our host and hostess, and their pretty daughters. "

Very much surprised were the latter when they heard that thehandsome young officer was an Englishman and a prisoner. 

"He does not look very terrible, does he, this curly-haired youngfellow, mademoiselles; but he is one of those terrible horse whichhave broken the cavalry of the Maison du Roi today, and scatteredthe chivalry of France. As to himself, he is a Rustium, a Bobadil, if he has, as I doubt not, kept up his practice--" and he looked atRupert, who nodded smilingly; for he had indeed, during the fouryears he had been in Flanders, not only practised assiduously inthe regimental fencing salles, but had attended all the schoolskept by the best Spanish, Italian, and German teachers, keepinghimself in practice, and acquiring a fresh pass here, an ingeniousdefence there, and ever improving--"The first swordsman in Francewould run a chance against this good-tempered-looking lad with hisblue eyes. "

The French girls opened their eyes in astonishment, but they werenot quite sure whether the marquis was not making fun of them. 

"Parbleu!" the two officers exclaimed. "You are not in earnestsurely, marquis?"

"I am, indeed, gentlemen; and I can claim some share of the merit, for I taught him myself; and before he was sixteen he was a betterswordsman than I was; and as he loved the art, he will have gone onimproving, and must be miraculous. 

"By the way, " he said, suddenly, "there was a story went throughFlanders near four years back of the best swordsman in the Germanarmy being killed by a mere boy in an English regiment, and I saidthen, I think that this must be my pupil. Was it so?"

"It was, " Rupert said. "It was a painful affair; but I was forcedinto it. "

"Make no excuse, I beg, " the marquis said, laughing. 

"Now, young ladies, let us to supper; but beware of this prisonerof war, for if he is only half as formidable with his eyes as withhis wrist, it is all up with your poor hearts. "

Then, with much merriment, the four officers sat down to table, their host and hostess joining for company, and the young ladiesacting as attendants. 

No one would have guessed that three of the party had formed partof an army which that day had been utterly routed, or that theother was their prisoner; but the temperament of the French enablesthem to recover speedily from misfortune; and although they hadbeen dull and gloomy enough until Rupert so suddenly fell intotheir hands, the happy accident of his being known to theircolonel, and the pleasure and excitement caused by the meeting, sufficed to put them in high spirits again, especially as their owncorps had suffered but slightly in the action, having been inreserve on the left, and never engaged except in a few charges tocover the retreat. 

When the battle was alluded to, the brows of the French officersclouded, and they denounced in angry terms the fatal blunder of themarshal of weakening his centre to strengthen the left against afeigned attack. But the subject soon changed again, for, as themarquis said, "It would be quite time to talk it over tomorrow, when they would know who had fallen, and what were the losses;" forfrom their position on the left, they had little idea of theterrible havoc which had been made among the best blood in France. 

Long after all the others had retired, the marquis and Rupert sattogether talking over old times. Rupert learned that even before hehad left the Chace the marquis had received news that the order ofbanishment, which the king had passed against him because he hadventured to speak in public in terms of indignation at thewholesale persecution of the Protestants, had been rescinded; andthat the estates, which had also been confiscated, were restored. The Protestant persecutions had become things of the past, thegreater portion of the French Protestants having fled the country;and the powerful friends of De Pignerolles had never ceased tointerest themselves in his favour. The king, too, was in need ofexperienced soldiers for the war which was about to break out; andlastly, and by the tone in which his friend spoke Rupert saw thatthe subject was rather a sore one, his Majesty wished to have Adelenear the court. 

"Mademoiselle Dessin!" Rupert said, in astonishment. 

"Well, not exactly Mademoiselle Dessin, " the marquis said, smiling, "but la Marquise Adele de Pignerolles, who is by her mother'sside--she was a Montmorency--one of the richest heiresses inFrance, and as inheriting those lands, a royal ward, although I, her father, am alive. "

"But even so, " Rupert said, "what can his Majesty wish to have herat court for?"

"Because, as a very rich heiress, and as a very pretty one, herhand is a valuable prize, and his Majesty may well intend it as areward to some courtier of high merit. "

"Oh, Monsieur Dessin!" Rupert said, earnestly; "surely you do notmean that!"

"I am sorry to say that I do, Master Rupert. The Grand Monarque isnot in the habit of considering such trifles as hearts orinclinations in the bestowal of his royal wards; and although it isa sort of treason to say so, I would rather be back in England, orhave Adele to myself, and be able to give her to some worthy manwhom she might love, than to see her hand held out as a prize ofthe courtiers of Versailles. I have lived long enough in England tohave got some of your English notions, that a woman ought at leastto have the right of refusal. "

Rupert said nothing, but he felt sorry and full of pity at thethought of the young girl he remembered so well being bestowed as asort of royal gift upon some courtier, quite irrespective of thedictates of her own heart. After sitting some time in silence, themarquis changed the subject suddenly. 

"I am afraid you will not be exchanged before next winter, Rupert. There are, no doubt, plenty of prisoners in Marlborough's hands, but the campaign is sure to be a stirring and rapid one after thisdefeat. He will strike heavy blows, and we shall be doing our bestto avoid them. It will not be until the fighting is over that thenegotiations for the exchange of prisoners will begin. "

The next morning the Marquis de Pignerolles went off early to theheadquarters of the commandant; and Rupert remained chatting withthe family of his host. Two hours later he returned. 

"Things are worse than I even feared, " he said; "the royal guardsare almost destroyed, and the destruction wrought in all our noblefamilies is terrible. It is impossible to estimate our total lossat present, but it is put down at 20, 000, including prisoners. Infact, as an army it has almost ceased to exist; and yourMarlborough will be able to besiege the fortresses of Flanders ashe likes. There has been a council of all the general officers herethis morning. I am to carry some dispatches to Versailles--notaltogether a pleasant business, but some one must do it, and ofcourse he will have heard the main incidents direct from Villeroi. I leave at noon, Rupert, and you will accompany me, unless indeedyou would prefer remaining here on the chance of getting an earlierexchange. "

Rupert naturally declared at once for the journey to Paris. Officers on parole were in those days treated with great courtesy, especially if they happened to have a powerful friend. He thereforelooked forward to a pleasant stay in Paris, and to a renewal of hisacquaintance with Adele, and to a sight of the glories ofVersailles, which, under Louis XIV, was the gayest, the mostintellectual, and the most distinguished court of Europe. 

Louis XIV could not be termed a good man, but he was unquestionablya great king. He did much for France, whose greatness and power hestrove to increase; and yet it was in no slight degree owing to hispolicy that, seventy years later, a tempest was to burst out inFrance, which was to sweep away the nobility and the crown itself;which was to deluge the soil of France with its best blood, tocarry war through Europe, and to end at last by the prostration ofFrance beneath the feet of the nations to whom she had been ascourge. 

The tremendous efforts made by Louis XIV to maintain the Spanishsuccession, which he had secured for France; the draining of theland of men; and the impoverishing of the nobles, who hesitated atno sacrifices and efforts to enable the country to make headagainst its foes, exhausted the land; while the immenseextravagance of the splendid court in the midst of an impoverishedland, ruined not only by war, but by the destruction of its trade, by the exile of the best and most industrious of its people onaccount of their religion, caused a deep and widespread discontentthroughout the towns and country of France. 

Three hours later, Rupert set out with the Marquis of Pignerollesand two troopers. After two days ride through Belgium they reachedValenciennes, where the uniform of Rupert, in the scarlet andbright cuirass of the British dragoons, excited much attention, forBritish prisoners were rare in France. 

On the evening of the fifth day they reached Paris, where they rodeto the mansion of the marquis. Rupert was aware that he would notsee Adele, who was, her father had told him, at Versailles, underthe care of Madame de Soissons, one of the ladies of the court. Rupert was told to consider himself at home; and then the marquisrode on to Versailles. 

"I saw his Majesty last night, " he told Rupert when he returnednext morning, "and he was very gracious. I hear that even Brousac, who brought the news of our defeat, was kindly received. I am toldthat he feels the cutting up of his guards very much. A grandentertainment, which was to have taken place this week, has beenpostponed, and there will be no regular fetes this autumn. I toldhis Majesty that I had brought you with me on parole, and themanner of your capture. He charged me to make the time passpleasantly for you, and to bring you down to Versailles, and topresent you at the evening reception. 

"We must get tailors to work at once, Rupert, for although you mustof course appear in uniform, that somewhat war-stained coat ofyours is scarcely fit for the most punctilious court in Europe. However, as they will have this coat for a model, the tailors willsoon fashion you a suit which would pass muster as your uniformbefore Marlborough himself. 

"I saw Adele, and told her I had brought an English officer, whohad galloped in the darkness into our ranks, as a prisoner. I didnot mention your name. It will be amusing to see if she recognizesyou. She was quite indignant at my taking you prisoner, and saidthat she thought soldiers ought not to take advantage of anaccident of that kind. In fact, although Adele, as I tell her, isvery French at heart, the five years she passed in Derby have lefta deep impression upon her. She was very happy at school. Everyone, as she says, was kind to her; and the result is, that althoughshe rejoices over our victories in Italy and Germany, she talksvery little about the Flanders campaign; about which, by the way, were she even as French as possible, there would not be anythingvery pleasant to say. "

Rupert was at once furnished from the wardrobe of the marquis with clothesof all kinds, and as they were about the same height--although Rupert wassomewhat broader and heavier--the things fitted well, and Rupert was ableto go about Paris, without being an object of observation and curiosityby the people. 

Rupert was somewhat disappointed in Paris. Its streets werenarrower than those of London, and although the public buildingswere fine, the Louvre especially being infinitely grander than thePalace of Saint James, there was not anything like the bustle andrush of business which had struck Rupert so much on his arrival inLondon. 

Upon arriving at Versailles, however, Rupert was struck withwonder. Nothing that he had seen could compare with the statelyglories of Versailles, which was then the real capital of France. Awing of the magnificent palace was set apart for the reception ofthe nobles and military men whose business brought them for shortperiods to the court, and here apartments had been assigned to themarquis. The clothes had already been sent down by mounted lackeys, and Rupert was soon in full uniform again, the cuirass alone beinglaid aside. The laced scarlet coat, and the other items of attire, were strictly in accordance with the somewhat lax regulations as tothe dress of an officer of dragoons; but the lace cravat falling infront, and the dress lace ruffles of the wrists, were certainlymore ample than the Duke of Marlborough might have considered fitfor strict regimental attire. But indeed there was little rule asto dress in those early days of a regular British army. 

Rupert's knee breeches were of white satin, and his waistcoat of thickbrocaded silk of a delicate drab ground. Standing as he did some sixfeet high, with broad shoulders, and a merry, good-tempered face, withbrown curls falling on his lace collar, the young lieutenant was asfine a looking specimen of a well-grown Englishman as could be desired. 

"Ma foi!" the marquis said, when he came in in full dress to see ifRupert was ready, "we shall have the ladies of the court settingtheir caps at you, and I must hasten to warn my countrymen of yourskill with the rapier, or you will be engaged in a dozen affairs ofhonour before you have been here as many days. 

"No, " he said, laughing at Rupert's gestures of dislike toduelling, "his gracious Majesty has strictly forbidden allduelling, and--well, I will not say that there is none of it, butit goes on behind the scenes, for exile from court is the leastpunishment, and in some cases rigorous imprisonment when anyspecial protege of the king has been wounded. 

"And now, Rupert, it is time to be off. The time for gathering inthe antechamber is at hand. By the way, I have said nothing to theking of our former knowledge of each other. There were reasons whyit was better not to mention the fact. "

Rupert nodded as he buckled on his sword and prepared to accompanyhis friend. 

Along stately corridors and broad galleries, whose magnificenceastonished and delighted Rupert, they made their way until theyreached the king's antechamber. Here were assembled a large numberof gentlemen, dressed in the extreme of fashion, some of whomsaluted the marquis, and begged particulars of him concerning thelate battles; for in those days news travelled slowly, newspaperswere scarcely in existence, special correspondents were a race ofmen undreamed of. 

To each of those who accosted him the marquis presented Rupert, whowas soon chatting as if at Saint James's instead of Versailles. InFlanders he had found that all the better classes spoke French, which was also used as the principal medium of communicationbetween the officers of that many-tongued body the allied army, consequently he spoke it as fluently and well as he had done as alad. Presently the great door at the end of the antechamber wasthrown back, and the assembled courtiers fell back on either side. 

Then one of the officers of the court entered, crying, "The king, gentlemen, the king!"

And then Louis himself, followed by some of the highest officers ofstate, entered. 

Chapter 18: The Court of Versailles. 

As the King of France entered the antechamber a dead hush fell uponall there, and Rupert Holliday looked eagerly to see what sort ofman was the greatest sovereign in Europe. 

Louis was under middle height, in spite of his high-heeled shoes, but he had an air of dignity which fully redeemed his want ofstature. Although he was sixty-six years of age, he was stillhandsome, and his eyes were bright, and his movements quick andvivacious. 

The courtiers all bent low as the king moved slowly down the line, addressing a word here and there. The king's eye quickly caughtthat of the young Englishman, who with his companion was tallerthan the majority of those present. 

Louis moved forward until he stopped before him. 

"So, Sir Englishman, " he said, "you are one of those who have beenmaltreating our soldiers. Methinks I have more reason than you haveto complain of the fortune of war, but I trust that in your casethe misfortune will be a light one, and that your stay in our courtand capital will not be an unpleasant one. "

"I have no reason, sire, to complain of the fortune of war, " Rupertsaid, "since to it I owe the honour of seeing your graciousMajesty, and the most brilliant court in the world!"

"Spoken like a courtier, " the king said with a slight smile. "Prayconsider yourself invited to all the fetes at court and to all ourentrees and receptions, and I hope that all will do their best tomake your stay here agreeable. "

Then with a slight inclination of the head he passed on, saying inan audible tone to the nobles who walked next, but a little behindhim, "This is not such a bear as are his island countrymen ingeneral!"

"In another hour, Rupert, is the evening reception, at which theladies of the court will be present; and although all set feteshave been arrested owing to the news of the defeat in Flanders, yetas the king chooses to put a good face upon it, everyone else willdo the same, therefore you may expect a brilliant assembly. Adelewill of course be there. Shall I introduce you, or leave it tochance?"

"I would rather you left it to chance, " Rupert said, "except, thatas you do not desire it to be known that we have met before, itwould be better that you should present me personally; but I shouldlike to see if she will recognize me before you do so. "

"My daughter is a young lady of the court of his most puissantMajesty Louis the 14th, " the marquis said, somewhat bitterly, "andhas learned not to carry her heart upon her sleeve. But before youshow yourself near her, I will just warn her by a word that asurprise may take place in the course of the evening, and that itis not always expedient to recognize people unless introducedformally. That will not be sufficient to give her any clue to yourbeing here, but when she sees you she will recall my warning, andact prudently. "

Presently they entered the immense apartment, or rather series ofapartments, in which the receptions took place. 

Here were gathered all the ladies of the court; all the courtiers, wits, and nobles of France, except those who were in their placeswith the army. There was little air of ceremony. All present weremore or less acquainted with each other. 

In a room screened off by curtains, the king was playing at cardswith a few highly privileged members of the court, and he wouldpresently walk through the long suite of rooms, but while at cardshis presence in no ways weighed upon the assembly. Groups of ladiessat on fauteuils surrounded by their admirers, with whom volleys oflight badinage, fun, and compliments were exchanged. 

Leaving Rupert talking to some of those to whom he had beenintroduced in the king's antechamber, and who were anxious to obeythe royal command to make themselves agreeable to him, the Marquisde Pignerolles sauntered across the room to a young lady who wassitting with three others, surrounded by a group of gentlemen. 

Rupert was watching him, and saw him stoop over the girl, for shewas little more, and say a few words in her ear. A surprised andsomewhat puzzled expression passed across her face, and then as herfather left her she continued chatting as merrily as before. 

Rupert could scarcely recognize in the lovely girl of seventeen thelittle Adele with whom he had danced and walked little more thanfour years before. 

Adele de Pignerolles was English rather than French in her style ofbeauty, for her hair was browner, and her complexion fresher andclearer, than those of the great majority of her countrywomen. Shewas vivacious, but her residence in England had taught her acertain restraint of gesture and motion, and her admirers, and shehad many, spoke of her as l'Anglaise. 

Rupert gradually moved away from those with whom he was talking, and, moving round the group, went through an open window on to abalcony, whence he could hear what was being said by the livelyparty, without his presence being noticed. 

"You are cruel, Mademoiselle d'Etamps, " one of the courtiers said. "I believe you have no heart. You love to drive us to distraction, to make us your slaves, and then you laugh at us. "

"It is all you deserve, Monsieur le Duc. One would as soon think oftaking the adoration of a butterfly seriously. One is a flower, butterflies come round, and when they find no honey, flit awayelsewhere. You amuse yourself, so do I. Talk about hearts, I do notbelieve in such things. "

"That is treason, " the young lady who sat next to her said, laughing. "Now, I am just the other way; I am always in love, butthen I never can tell whom I love best, that is my trouble. You areall so nice, messieurs, that it is impossible for me to say whom Ilove most. "

The young men laughed. 

"And you, Mademoiselle de Rohan, will you confess?"

"Oh, I am quite different, " she said. "I quite know whom I lovebest, but just as I am quite sure about it, he does somethingdisagreeable or stupid--all men are really disagreeable or stupidwhen you get to know them--and so then I try another, but it isalways with the same result. "

"You are all very cruel, " the Duc de Carolan laughed. "And you, Mademoiselle de Pignerolles? But I know what you will say, you havenever seen anyone worth loving. "

Adele did not answer; but her laughing friends insisted that asthey had confessed their inmost thoughts, she ought to do the same. 

For a moment she looked serious, then she laughed, and again put ona demure air. 

"Yes, " said she, "I have had a grande passion, but it came tonothing. "

A murmur of "Impossible!" ran round the circle. 

"It was nearly four years ago, " she said. 

"Oh, nonsense, Adele, you were a child four years ago, " one of hercompanions said. 

"Of course I was a child, " Adele said, "but I suppose children canlove, and I loved an English boy. "

"Oh, oh, mademoiselle, an English boy!" and other amused cries ranround the circle. 

"And did he love you, mademoiselle?" the Duc de Carolan asked. 

"Oh, dear no, " the girl answered. "I don't suppose I should haveloved him if he had. But he was strong, and gentle, and brave, andhe was nearly four years older than I was, and he always treated mewith respect. Oh, yes, I loved him. "

"He must have been the most insensible of boys, " the Duc de Carolansaid; "but no doubt he was very good and gentle, this youthfulislander; but how do you know that he was brave?"

The sneering tone with which the duke spoke was clearly resented byAdele, for her cheek flushed, and she spoke with an earnestnessquite different from the half-laughing tone she had hitherto spokenin. 

"I know that he was brave, Monsieur le Duc, because he fought with, and ran through the body, a man who insulted me. "

The girl spoke so earnestly that for a moment a hush fell upon thelittle group; and the Duc de Carolan, who clearly resented the warmtone in which she spoke, said:

"Quite a hero of romance, mademoiselle. This unfortunate whoincurred your Paladin's indignation was clearly more insolent thanskillful, or Sir Amadis of sixteen could hardly have prevailedagainst the dragon. "

This time Adele de Pignerolles was seriously angry:

"Monsieur le Duc de Carolan, " she said quietly, "you have honouredme by professing some admiration of my poor person, and methinksthat good taste would have demanded that you would have feigned, atleast, some interest in the boy who championed my cause. I waswrong, even in merry jest, to touch on such a subject, but Ithought that as French gentlemen you would understand that I washalf serious, half jesting at myself for this girlish love of mine. He is not here to defend himself against your uncourteous remarks;but, Monsieur le Duc, allow me to inform you that the fact that theperson who insulted me paid for it almost with his life was noproof of his great want of skill, for monsieur my father willinform you, if you care to ask him, that had you stood opposite tomy boy hero, the result would probably have been exactly the same;for, as I have often heard him say that this boy was fully a matchfor himself; I imagine that the chance of a nobleman who, with allhis merits, has not, so far as I have heard, any great pretensionsto special skill with his sword, would be slight indeed. "

The duke, with an air of bitter mortification on his face, bowedbefore the indignant tone in which Adele spoke; and as the littlecircle broke up, the rumour ran round the room that L'Anglaise hadsnubbed the Duc de Carolan in a crushing manner. 

Scarcely had the duke, with a few murmured excuses, withdrawn fromthe group, than the marquis advanced towards his daughter with atall figure by his side. 

"Adele, " he said, "allow me to introduce to you the English officerwhose own unlucky fate threw him into my hands. He desires to havethe honour of your acquaintance. You may remember his name, for hisfamily lived in the county in which we passed some time. LieutenantRupert Holliday, of the English dragoons. "

Adele had not looked up as her father spoke. As he crossed the roomtowards her she had glanced towards his companion, whose dressshowed him to be the English officer who was, as she knew, withhim; but something in her father's tone of voice, still more thesentences with which he introduced the name, warned her that thiswas the surprise of which he had spoken, and the name, when it cameat last, was almost expected. Had it not been for the manner inwhich she had just been speaking, and the vague wonder that flashedthrough her mind whether he could have heard her, she could havemet Rupert, with such warning as she had had, as a perfectstranger. What she had said was perfectly true, that as a child hehad been her hero; but a young girl's heroes seldom withstand theordeal of a four years' absence, and Adele was no exception. Ruperthad gone out of her existence, and she had not thought of him, beyond an occasional feeling of wonder whether he was alive, foryears; and had it not been for that unlucky speech--which, indeed, she could not have made had any of her girlish feeling remained, she could have met him as frankly and cordially as in the days whenthey danced together. 

In spite, therefore, of her efforts, it was with a heightenedcolour that, as demanded by etiquette, Adele rose, and making adeep reverence in return to the even deeper bow of Rupert, extendedher hand, which, taking the tips of the fingers, Rupert bent overand kissed. Then, looking up in her face, he said:

"The marquis your father has encouraged me to hope that you willtake pity upon a poor prisoner, and forget and forgive his havingfought against your compatriots. "

Adele adroitly took up the line thus offered to her, and was soon deepin a laughing contest with him as to the merits of their respectivecountries, and above all as to his opinion of French beauty. Rupertanswered in the exaggerated compliments characteristic of the time. After talking with her for some little time he withdrew, saying that heshould have the honour of calling upon the following day with her father. 

The next day when they arrived Rupert was greeted with a franksmile of welcome. 

"I am indeed glad to see you again, Monsieur Rupert; but tell mewhy was that little farce of pretending that we were strangers, played yesterday?"

"It was my doing, Adele, " her father said. "You know what the kingis. If he were aware that Rupert were an old friend of ours hewould imagine all sorts of things. "

"What sort of things, papa?"

"To begin with, that Monsieur Rupert had come to carry you off fromthe various noblemen, for one or other of whom his Majesty destinesyour hand. "

The girl coloured. 

"What nonsense!

"However, " she went on, "it would anyhow make no difference so faras the king is concerned, for I am quite determined that I will gointo a convent and let all my lands go to whomsoever his Majestymay think fit to give them rather than marry any one I don't carefor. I couldn't do it even to please you, papa, so you may be quitesure I couldn't do it to please the king. 

"And now let me look at you, Monsieur Rupert. I talked to you lastnight, but I did not fairly look at you. Yes, you are really verylittle altered except that you have grown into a man: but I shouldhave known you anywhere. Now, would you have known me?"

"Not if I had met you in the street, " Rupert said. "When I talk toyou, and look at you closely, Mademoiselle Adele Dessin comes backagain; but at a casual glance you are simply Mademoiselle Adele dePignerolles. "

"I wish I were Adele Dessin again, " she said. "I should be athousand times happier living with my father than in thisartificial court, where no one is what they seem to be; whereeveryone considers it his duty to say complimentary things; whereeveryone seems to be gay and happy, but everyone is as much slavesas if they wore chains. I break out sometimes, and astonish them. "

A slight smile passed over Rupert's face; and Adele knew that hehad overheard her the evening before. The girl flushed hotly. Herfather and Madame de Soissons were talking together in a deep baywindow at the end of the room. 

"So you heard me last night, Monsieur Rupert. Well, there isnothing to be ashamed of. You were my hero when I was a child; Idon't mind saying so now. If you had made me your heroine it wouldhave been different, but you never did, one bit. Now don't try totell stories. I should find you out in a moment; I am accustomed tohear falsehoods all day. "

"There is nothing to be ashamed of, mademoiselle. Every one musthave a hero, and I was the only boy you knew. No one could havemisunderstood you; and even to those artificial fops who werestanding round you, there seemed nothing strange or unmaidenly inyour avowal that when you were a little girl you made a hero of aboy. You are quite right, I did not make a heroine of you. Boys, Ithink, always make heroines of women much older than themselves. Ilooked upon you as a dear, bright little girl, whom I would havecared for and protected as I would my favourite dog. Some boys aregiven to heroine worship. I don't think that is my line. I am onlyjust getting out of my boyhood now, and I have never had a heroineat all. "

So they sat and chatted, easily and pleasantly, as if four yearshad been rolled back, and they were boy and girl again in thegarden of Windthorpe Chace. 

"I suppose I shall see you every evening at the court?" Rupertsaid. 

"I suppose so, " the girl sighed. "But it will be much more pleasanthere. You will come with papa, won't you?"

"Whenever he will be good enough to bring me, " Rupert said. 

"You remember what I told you about Adele, " the marquis said, asthey walked back to their rooms in the palace. 

"Surely, sir, " Rupert replied. 

"I think it would be as well, both for her sake and your own, thatyou should not frequent her society in public, Rupert. His Majestyintends to give her hand to one of the half-dozen of his courtierswho are at present intriguing for it. Happily, as she is littleover sixteen, although marriages here are often made at that age, the question does not press; and I trust that he will not decidefor a year, or even longer. But if you were to be seen much at herside, it might be considered that you were a possible rival, andyou might, if the king thought that there was the slightest risk ofyour interfering with his plans, find yourself shut up in theBastille, or at Loches, or some other of the fortress dungeons, andAdele might be ordered to give her hand at once to the man heselected for her. 

"There is hope in time. Adele may in time really come to love oneof her suitors, and if he were one of those whom the king wouldlike to favour, he would probably consent to the match. Then, theking may die. It is treason even to suppose such a thing possible;still he is but mortal; or something else may occur to change thecourse of the future. 

"Of one thing I have decided: I will not see Adele sacrificed. Ihave for the last four years managed to transmit a considerableportion of the revenues of my estates to the hands of a banker inHolland; and if needs be I will again become an exile with her, andwait patiently until some less absolute monarch mounts the throne. "

It was not so easy, however, to silence the mouths of the gossipsof Versailles as the Marquis de Pignerolles had hoped. It was truethat Rupert was seldom seen by the side of Adele in the drawingroom of the palace, but it was soon noticed that he calledregularly every morning with the marquis at Madame de Soissons', and that, however long the visits of the marquis might be, theyoung English officer remained until he left. 

Adele's English bringing up, and her avowed liking for thingsEnglish, were remembered; and the Duc de Carolan, and the otheraspirants to Adele's hand, began to scowl angrily at the youngEnglishman whenever they met him. 

Upon the other hand, among the ladies Rupert was a generalfavourite, but he puzzled them altogether. He was ready to chat, topay compliments, to act as chevalier to any lady, but hiscompliments never passed beyond the boundary of mere courtlyexpression; and in a court where it appeared to be almost the dutyof everyone to be in love, Rupert Holliday did not seem to knowwhat love meant. 

The oddness of this dashing-looking young officer--who was, theMarquis de Pignerolles assured everyone, a very gallant soldier, and who had killed in a duel the finest swordsman in the Germanarmy--being perfectly proof to all blandishments, and ready totreat every woman with equal courtesy and attention, was a mysteryto the ladies of the court of Versailles; and Rupert was regardedas a most novel and amusing specimen of English coldness andimpenetrability. 

Rupert himself was absolutely ignorant of the opinion with whichmen and women alike regarded him. He dreamt not that it was onlythe character which so high an authority as the Marquis dePignerolles had given him as a swordsman of extraordinary skill, that prevented the Duc de Carolan and some of Adele's otheradmirers from forcing a quarrel upon him. Still less did he imaginethat the ladies of the court considered it in the highest degreesingular that he did not fall in love with any of them. He went hisway, laughed, talked, was pleasant with everyone, and enjoyed hislife, especially his morning visits to Madame de Soissons. 

The first intimation that was given of the jealousy with which theDuc de Carolan and others regarded Rupert, was a brief order thatthe Marquis de Pignerolles received from the king to retire withhis prisoner to Paris; an intimation being given that although themarquis would as heretofore be received at court, yet that Rupertwas not to leave the circuit of the walls of Paris. The marquis, who had foreseen the gathering storm in a hundred petty symptoms, was not surprised at the order. He knew the jealousy with which theking regarded any person who appeared even remotely likely tointerfere with any plans that he had formed, and was sure that amere hint from some favourite as to the possibility of Rupert'sintimacy at Madame de Soissons proving an obstacle to the carryingout of his wishes with regard to the disposal of Adele's hand, would be sufficient to ensure the issue of an order for his instantdismissal from Versailles. Rupert was astonished and indignant atthe order. 

"At any rate I may call and say 'Goodbye' to mademoiselle, may Inot?"

"I think that you had better not, Rupert; but I have simply ordersto leave Versailles at one o'clock today. I can therefore only askyou to be here at that hour. It is now eleven. "

"Very well, sir, " Rupert said, "I will be here in time; and as I amnot a prisoner, and can go about where I like, I do not think thateven the king could object to my paying a visit of adieu. "

On presenting himself at Madame de Soissons', Rupert heard that, inaccordance with the king's command that morning received, Madame deSoissons and Mademoiselle de Pignerolles had gone out to the hunt, one of the royal carriages having come for them. 

Rupert, determined not to be baulked, hurried back to the stableswhere the horses of the marquis, one of which was always at hisdisposal, were kept. In a few minutes he was riding out towards theforest of Saint Germains, where he learned that the royal chase hadgone. 

He rode for some time, until at last he came up with one of theroyal carriages which had got separated from the others. He saw atonce that it contained two of the ladies of the court with whom hewas most intimate. They gave an exclamation of surprise as hereined up his horse at the window. 

"You, Monsieur Holliday! How imprudent! Everyone knows that you arein disgrace, and exiled to Paris. How foolish of you to come here!"

"I have done nothing to be ashamed of, " Rupert said. "Besides, Iwas ordered to leave at one o'clock, and it is not one o'clockyet. "

"Oh, we are all angry with you, Monsieur l'Anglais, for you havebeen deceiving us all for the last three months. But, now mind, webear no malice; but pray ride off. "

As she spoke she made a sign to Rupert to alight and come to thewindow, so that the coachman might not overhear what was said. 

"Do you know, " she said, earnestly, "that you are trifling withyour safety; and, if la belle Anglaise loves you, with herhappiness? You have already done more than harm enough. The kinghas today, when he joined the hunt, presented to her formallybefore all the court the Duc de Carolan as her future husband. Remember, if you are found here you will not only be sent straightto some fortress, where you may remain till you are an old man, butyou will do her harm by compromising her still further, in whichcase the king might be so enraged, that he might order her to marrythe duke tomorrow. "

"You are right. Thank you, " Rupert said, quietly; "and I haveindeed, although most unwittingly, done harm. Why you should allmake up your minds I love Mademoiselle de Pignerolles I know not. Ihave never thought of the matter myself. I am but just twenty, andat twenty in England we are still little more than boys. I onlyknow that I liked her very much, just as I did when she was alittle girl. "

"Oh, monsieur, but you are sly, you and l'Anglaise. So it was youthat she owned was her hero; and monsieur the marquis introducedyou as a stranger. Oh, what innocence!

"But there, " she went on kindly, "you know your secret is safe withus. And monsieur, " and she leant forward, "although you would notmake love to me, I bear no malice, and will act as your deputy. Avery strict watch is certain to be kept over her. If you want towrite to her, enclose a note to me. Trust me, she shall have it. 

"There, do not stop to thank me. I hear horses' hoofs. Gallop away, please; it would ruin all were you caught here. "

Rupert pressed the hands the two ladies held out to him to hislips, mounted his horse, and rode furiously back to Versailles, where he arrived just in time to leave again for Paris at the hourbeyond which their stay was not to be delayed. 

Chapter 19: The Evasion. 

Upon the ride from Versailles to Paris Rupert told the marquis whathe had done and heard. 

"It is bad news, Rupert. I will ride back this afternoon, when Ihave lodged you in Paris, and see Adele. If she objects--as I knowshe will object to this marriage--I shall respectfully protest. That any good will come of the protest I have no thought, but myprotest may strengthen Adele's refusal, by showing that she has herfather's approval. 

"Adele will of course be treated coldly at first, then she willhave pressure put upon her, then be ordered to choose between aconvent and marriage. She will choose a convent. Now in someconvents she could live quietly and happily, in others she would bepersecuted. If she is sent to a convent chosen for her, it will beworse than a prison. Her life will be made a burden to her untilshe consents to obey the king's command. Therefore, my object willbe to secure her retreat to a convent where she will be welltreated and happy. But we will talk of this again. "

It was not until the following afternoon that the marquis returnedfrom Versailles. 

"I am off to the front again, " he said. "I had an audience with hisMajesty this morning, and respectfully informed him of mydaughter's incurable repugnance to the Duc de Carolan, and of herdesire to remain single until at least she reached the age oftwenty. His Majesty was pleased to say that girls' whims werematters to which it behoved not to pay any attention. He said, however, that for the present he would allow it to remain inabeyance, and that he begged me to see Adele, and to urge upon herthe necessity for making up her mind to accept his Majesty'schoice. He also said that the news from the army was bad, that goodofficers were urgently required there, and that it would betherefore advisable for me to repair at once to the front and againtake the command of my regiment. He said that he wished me to takeyou with me as far as Lille, and that you should there take up yourresidence. "

"Of course I will accompany you, sir, " Rupert said; "but I willwithdraw my parole as soon as you hand me over, and take my chanceof escaping. "

"Yes, I should do that, Rupert, indeed, as you gave your parole tome, you can give it back to me now, if you choose. I will run therisk of some little anger on the part of the king, if you quit meon your way to Lille and make the best of your way to thefrontier. "

"No, I thank you, " Rupert said. "There can't be much difficulty inescaping from a town when one wants to do so; and it would do youan evil turn indeed to incense the king against you at the presenttime. "

The next morning, just as they were setting out, a lackey placed anote in Rupert's hands. 

"I hear you are sent off to Lille. I have a cousin there, and havewritten to recommend you to his care. I will keep my promise, andlet you know, if needs be, of what is happening to the young personwe spoke of--Diana. "

Rupert wrote a few words of earnest thanks, and imitating theexample set him, gave it unaddressed and unsigned to the lackey, with a handsome present to himself. 

On the way to Lille, the marquis told Rupert his plans for thewithdrawal of Adele from court, and her concealment, should Louisinsist on the marriage being pressed on. 

Arriving at Lille, Rupert was handed over to the governor, andhaving formally withdrawn his parole to make no effort to escape, he was assigned quarters in barracks, whence he was allowed to gointo the town during daylight; being obliged, however, to attend atroll call at midday. The fortifications of the town were so strongand well guarded that it was supposed that the chance of escape wassmall. 

The following day the Marquis de Pignerolles took an affectionateleave of Rupert, and went on to join the army; and an hour or twolater Captain Louis d'Etamps, the cousin of whom Diana had written, called upon him, and placed himself at his service. His cousin hadtold him of the supposed crime for which Rupert had been sent awayfrom court, and felt much sympathy with what she considered hishard treatment. Not only Louis d'Etamps, but the French officers ofthe garrison, showed great kindness and attention to the Englishprisoner, for the Duke of Marlborough had treated the Frenchofficers who fell into his hands at Ramilies with such kindness andcourtesy, that the French were glad to have an opportunity ofreciprocating the treatment when the chance fell in their way. Latein the autumn, the Marquis de Pignerolles was brought back to Lilleseriously wounded in one of the last skirmishes of the campaign. Rupert spent all the time he was allowed to be out of barracks athis friend's quarters. The wound was not considered dangerous, butit would keep the marquis a prisoner to his room for weeks. 

A few days after the marquis was brought in, Louis d'Etamps cameinto Rupert's room early in the morning. 

"I have a note for you from my fair cousin, " he said. "It must besomething particular, for she has sent a special messenger with aletter to me, and on opening it I find only a line asking me togive you the enclosed instantly. "

Rupert opened the latter from Diana d'Etamps; it was as follows:

"Adele has been ordered to marry the Duc de Carolan on the 15th. Unless she consents, she is on the 14th to be sent to the nunneryof Saint Marie, the strictest in France, where they will somehow orother wring consent from her before many weeks are over. They havedone so in scores of cases like hers. I promised to tell you, and Ihave done so. But I don't see that anything can be done. I hearMonsieur le Marquis is badly wounded, but even were he here, hecould do nothing. The king is resolute. The Duc de Carolan has justgiven 200, 000 crowns towards the expenses of the war. "

"May I see?" Louis d'Etamps said, for the young men were now fastfriends. 

Rupert handed him the note. 

"What can you do, my poor boy?" he said. 

"I will go and see the marquis, and let you know afterwards, "Rupert said. "I shall do something, you may be sure. "

"If you do, you will want to escape from Lille. I will see aboutthe arrangements for that. There is no time to be lost. It is the10th today. "

Rupert's conversation with the Marquis de Pignerolles was long andinteresting. The marquis chafed at being confined to a sick bed andpermitting Rupert to run the risk, which was immense, of theattempt alone. However, as he could not move, and as Rupert wasdetermined to do something, the marquis entered into all the planshe had drawn up, and intended to follow when such an emergencyoccurred. He gave him a letter for Adele, and then they parted. 

At his room Rupert found Louis. 

"Quick, " he said, "there is no time to lose. At ten o'clock aconvoy of wounded leave for Paris. The doctor in charge is a friendof mine and a capital fellow. I have just seen him. All isarranged. Come along to my quarters, they are on the line that theconvoy goes to the gate. Jump in bed, then I will bandage up yourhead with plaisters so that not more than space to see and breatheout of will be left. When the convoy arrives at the door, he willhave an empty litter ready, will bring up four men who will liftyou in, supposing you to be a wounded French officer, carry youdown, and off you go with the convoy, not a soul save the doctor, you, and I, the wiser. He has got a pass to leave the city withforty-eight sick and ten soldiers, and he has only to tell one ofthose marked to go that he is not well enough to be moved, and willgo with the next convoy. The messenger who brought the letter hasstarted again, and has taken with him a led horse of mine. He willbe at the hostelry of Henri the 4th, at the place where you willstop tonight. He will not know who you are, I have told him that afriend of mine will call for the horse, which I had promised tosend him. 

"When you halt for the night, the doctor will order you to becarried into his own room. You will find two or three suits ofclothes in the litter, a lackey's suit of our livery which may beuseful, a country gentleman's, and one of mine. When you are alonewith the doctor and all is safe, get up, put on the countrygentleman's suit, say goodbye to him and go straight to the stablesat the Henri the 4th. You are the Sire de Nadar. I have written anote here, telling you the horse will be there and you are to fetchit--here it is. The messenger will know my seal. "

"I am indeed obliged to you, " Rupert said, "you have thought ofeverything; but how will the doctor explain my not beingforthcoming in the morning?"

"Oh, he will arrange that easily enough. The soldiers will allsleep soundly enough after this march; besides, they will not, inall probability, be near his quarters, so he will only have to saythat he found you were too ill to continue the journey, and hadtherefore had you carried to a confrere of his. You must be underno fear, Rupert, of any evil consequences to anyone, for no onewill ever connect you with the convoy. You will be missed at rollcall, but that will go for nothing. When you are absent again atsix o'clock, you will be reported as missing. Then it will besupposed that you are hid in the city, and a sharp watch will beset at the gates; but after a few days it will be supposed that youhave either got over the walls, or that you have gone out disguisedas a peasant. A prisoner of war more or less makes but littledifference, and there will never be any fuss about it. "

Soon after dusk on the evening of the 13th of October, Adele dePignerolles was sitting alone in a large room in the house ofMadame de Soissons. A wood fire was blazing, and even in thatdoubtful light it might have been seen that the girl's eyes wereswollen with crying. She was not crying now, but was looking intothe fire with a set, determined look in her face. 

"I don't care, " she said; "they may kill me at Saint Marie, but Iwill never say yes. Oh, if papa were but here. "

At that moment there was a knock at the door, and a bright-lookingwaiting maid entered. 

"A note, mademoiselle, from Mademoiselle d'Etamps--andmademoiselle, " and she put her finger mysteriously to her lips, "itis a new lackey has brought it. I told him to come again in tenminutes for an answer; for I thought it better he should not comein to be looked at by Francois and Jules. "

"Why not, Margot?" Adele asked in great surprise. 

"Because, mademoiselle, he seemed to me--I may be wrong, youknow--but he seemed to me very, very like--"

"Like whom, Margot? How mysterious you are. "

"Like the English officer, " Margot said, with an arch nod. 

Adele leapt to her feet. 

"You must be mad, Margot. There, light a candle. "

But without waiting, Adele knelt down close to the fire, and brokeopen the letter. 

A flush, even ruddier than that given by the fire, mounted over herface. 

"It is him, Margot. He has come from my father. Now we are to dowhat I told you about. We are to go off tonight under his charge, to your mother's, my dear old nurse, and there I am to live withyou, and be as your cousin, till papa can get me out of thecountry. "

"And is the young officer to live there till the marquis comes?"Margot asked, slyly. "He might pass as another cousin, mademoiselle. "

"How foolish you are, Margot, and this is no time for folly. Butlisten. My father says, 'Rupert will be in the street round thecorner, with three horses, at eleven o'clock. You and Margot are tobe dressed in the boys' clothes that I bade you prepare. Take inbundles two of Margot's dresses. Do not be afraid to trust yourselfwith Rupert Holliday. Regard him as a brother; he has all myconfidence and trust. '"

"We must remember that, " Margot said. 

"Remember what, Margot?"

"Only that you are to regard him as a brother, mademoiselle. "

"Margot, Margot, I am surprised at you, joking like a child when wehave a terrible business before us. But indeed I feel so happy atthe thought of escape from that terrible convent, that I could jokelike a child also. "

"You had better write a line for him, mademoiselle. It was fromchance that I happened to be in the hall when he rang; and we don'twant him to come in to be stared at by Francois while you write ananswer. "

Quickly Adele sat down at a table, and wrote:

"At the hour and place named, expect us--Yours, trustfully, Adele. "

As the clock struck eleven two slight figures stole noiselessly outof the garden gate of Madame de Soissons' house at Versailles. Thetown was hushed in sleep, and not a sound was moving in the street. They carried bundles with them, and walked with rapid steps to asmall lane which led off the street by the side of the garden wall. It was quite dark, and they could see nothing, but a voice said:

"Adele!"

"Rupert!" one of the figures answered, in shy, trembling tones. 

"Please stay where you are, " Rupert said. "It is lighter in thestreet. "

The horses were led forth noiselessly, for Rupert had fastenedcloths round their feet, to prevent the iron shoes sounding on theround pebbles which paved the streets. 

Not a word was said. There was a warm clasp of the hand, and Rupertlifted Adele into the saddle. Margot climbed into another, and thethree rode rapidly down the streets. Not a word was spoken untilthey were in the open country. 

"Thank God, you are safe thus far, Adele. The last time I helpedyou on to a horse was the day you went out to see my hawk kill aheron. "

"Oh, Rupert, " the girl said, "it seems like a dream. But please donot let us talk yet about ourselves. Tell me about Papa. How ishe?"

Rupert told her; and gradually as they talked the excitement andagitation passed off. 

"And where did you get the horses, Rupert?"

"The one I am riding is Louis d'Etamps', " he said, "the others areyour father's. I brought orders from him to his steward in Paris, that two of his best horses were to be sent this morning to astable in Versailles, and left there, and that a person with anorder from him would call for them. "

"I cannot see you in the least. Are you dressed as Monsieurd'Etamps' lackey still?"

"No, I am now a quiet country gentleman, riding down from Pariswith my two sons, who have been up with me to see their aunt wholives in the Rue du Tempe. "

"Talk French, please, Rupert. Margot will understand then; and sheis so brave and good, and shares my danger, so she ought to be asone of us. "

Adele's spirits rose as they got farther from Versailles, and theytalked and laughed cheerfully, but in low tones. 

Three miles from Versailles, as they rode past a crossroad, twomounted men dashed out suddenly. 

"Stand, in the king's name! Who are you?"

"We are travellers, " Rupert said, quietly, "and go where we will. Who are you?"

"We are guards of the court, and we must know who you are before wesuffer you to pass. None ride at night near Versailles but with apass. "

"I am an exception then, " Rupert said, "and I advise you not tointerfere with us;" and he urged his horse a few feet in advance ofhis companions. 

One of the horsemen seized his bridle, while another drew a pistol. 

Rupert's sword leaped from its scabbard and cut down the man whoheld the rein. The other fired, but Rupert threw himself forward onthe horse's neck and the bullet whizzed over his head. He rode atthe garde, and with a heavy blow with the pommel of the swordstruck him senseless from his horse. 

"Now, " he said to Adele, "we can ride on again. You are notfrightened, I hope?"

"Not so frightened as I was the first time you drew sword in mybehalf, " the girl said; "but it is very dreadful. Are they killed, Rupert?"

"Not a bit of it, " Rupert said; "one has got a gash on the headwhich will cost him a crown in plaister, the other may have lostsome teeth. It would have been wise to have killed them, for theirtale in the morning is likely to be regarded as throwing some lightupon your disappearance; but I could not kill men who were onlydoing their duty. At any rate we have twelve hours' start, even ifthey take up the clue and pursue us on this line tomorrow. 

"It is about ten miles this side of Poitiers that your motherlives, is it not, Margot?"

"Yes, Monsieur Rupert. How surprised she will be at my arrival withmy cousins. "

"Oh, we are both your cousins, are we, Margot?"

"Mademoiselle Adele is to pass as my cousin, monsieur, and Isuppose you must be either another cousin, or else her brother. "

"Margot, " Adele said, "you chatter too much. "

"Do I, mademoiselle? It is better than riding through the darknesswithout speaking. I was very glad when the cloths were off thehorses' feet, for we seemed like a party of ghosts. "

"How long shall we be getting there?" Adele asked, presently. 

"Six days, if we do it all with the same horses, " Rupert said; "andI am afraid to hire horses and leave them on the way, as it wouldlook as if we were pressed for time. No, for today we are safe--butfor today only. Messengers will be sent in all directions withorders for our arrest. They will take fresh relays of horses; andreally our only hope is in disguise. I propose that we go the firststage without halting as far as our horses will carry us. I thinkwe can get to Orleans. There we will put them up, and take rooms. Then Margot must slip out in her own dress and buy two peasantgirls' attire, and I will pick up at some dealer in old clothes asuit which will enable me to pass as a wounded soldier making hisway home. Then we will strike off from the main road and follow thelanes and get on some other road. They will inquire all along theroad and will hear of a gentleman and two youths, and will for awhile have that in their minds. No one will particularly notice us, and we shall get into Tours safely enough. 

"We must never enter a house or town together, for they will be onthe lookout for three people, and neither a soldier with his headbound up, nor two peasant girls, will attract attention. At Tours Iwill get a farmer's dress, and will buy a horse and cart, and aload of hay, and will pick you up outside the town. You can get onthe hay, and can cover yourselves over if you see any horsemen inpursuit. After that it will be all easy work. "

"Why could you not get the cart at Orleans, Rupert?" Adele asked. 

"I might, " he said; "but I think that the extra change would bebest, as they would then have no clue whatever to follow. They willtrace us to Orleans, and you may be sure that there will be a hothue and cry, and it may be that the fact of a horse and cart havingbeen sold would come out. They will not know whether we have madeeast, west, or south from there, so there will be a far less activesearch at Tours than there will at Orleans. "

So the journey was carried out, and without any serious adventure;although with a great many slight alarms, and some narrow escapesof detection, which cannot be here detailed. The party arrived atthe spot where the lane leading to the little farm occupied byMargot's mother left the main road. Here they parted, the girlstaking their bundles, and starting to trudge the last few miles onfoot. 

Margot discreetly went on a little ahead, to give her mistress theopportunity of speaking to Rupert alone, but she need not have doneso, for all that Rupert said was:

"I have been in the light of your brother this time, Adele, as yourfather gave you into my charge. If I ever come again, dear, it willbe different. "

"You are very good, Rupert. Goodbye;" and with a wave of the handshe ran after Margot; while Rupert, mounting the cart, drove oninto Poitiers. 

Here he sold his load of hay to a stable keeper, drove a mile ortwo out of the town, entered a wood, and then took the horse out ofthe cart, and leaving the latter in a spot where, according to allappearances, it was not likely to be seen for months, drove thehorse still further into the wood, and, placing a pistol to itshead, shot it dead. Then he renewed his disguise as a soldier, butthis time dispensed with the greater part of his bandages, and setout on his return, in high spirits at having so successfullyperformed his journey. 

He pursued his journey as far back as Blois without the slightestinterruption, but here his tramp came to a sudden termination. Secure in the excellence of his French, Rupert had attempted nodisguise as to his face beyond such as was given by a strip ofplaister, running from the upper lip to the temple. He strode gailyalong, sometimes walking alone, sometimes joining some otherwayfarer, telling every one that he was from Bordeaux, where he hadbeen to see his parents, and get cured of a sabre cut. 

As he passed through the town of Blois, Rupert suddenly came upon agroup of horsemen. Saluting as he passed--for in those days inFrance no one of inferior rank passed one of the upper classeswithout uncovering--he went steadily on. 

"That is a proper looking fellow, " one of the party said, lookingafter him. 

"By our Lady, " exclaimed another, "I believe I have seen that headand shoulders before. Yes, I feel sure. 

"Gentlemen, we have made a prize. Unless I am greatly mistaken, this is the villainous Englishman who it is believed aided thatmalapert young lady to escape. "

In another moment Rupert was surrounded. His hat was knocked off;and the Duc de Carolan, for it was he, exclaimed in delight:

"I thought that I could not be mistaken. It is himself. "

Rupert attempted no resistance, for alone and on foot it would havebeen hopeless. 

The governor of the royal castle of Blois was one of the party, andRupert found himself in another ten minutes standing, with guardson each side of him, before a table in the governor's room, withthe governor and the Duc de Carolan sitting as judges before him. 

"I have nothing to say, " Rupert said, quietly. "I escaped fromLille because I had been, as I deemed it, unworthily treated inParis. I had withdrawn my parole, and was therefore free to escapeif I could. I did escape, but finding the frontier swarmed withFrench troops, I thought it safer to make for central France, wherea wayfarer would not be looked upon as suspiciously as in thenorth. Here I am. I decline to answer any further questions. 

"As to the lady of whom you question me, I rejoice to find, by thedrift of your questions, that she has withdrawn herself from thepersecution which she suffered, and has escaped being forced intomarriage with a man she once described in my hearing as an ape inthe costume of the day. "

"And that is all you will say, prisoner?" the governor asked, whilethe Duc de Carolan gave an exclamation of fury. 

"That is all, sir; and I would urge, that as an English officer Iam entitled to fair and honourable treatment; for although I mighthave been shot in the act of trying to escape from prison, it isthe rule that an escaping prisoner caught afterwards, as I am, should have fair treatment, although his imprisonment should bestricter and more secure than before. 

"As to the other matter, there cannot be, I am assured, even atittle of evidence to connect me with the event you mention. As faras I hear from you, I escaped on the 10th from Lille, which date isindeed accurate. Three days later Mademoiselle de Pignerolles leftVersailles. The connection between the two events does not appearin any way clear to me. "

"It may or it may not be, " the governor said. "However, my duty isclear, to keep you here in safe ward until I receive his Majesty'sorders. "

Four days later the royal order came. Rupert was to be taken to thedreaded fortress prison of Loches, a place from which not one in ahundred of those who entered in ever came from alive. 

Chapter 20: Loches. 

"A British officer; broke out from Lille. Ah!" the Governor ofLoches said to himself, as he glanced over the royal order. "Something else beyond that, I fancy. Prisoners of war who try tobreak prison are not sent to Loches. I suppose he has been insomebody's way very seriously. A fine young fellow, too--a reallysplendid fellow. A pity really; however, it is not my business. 

"Number four, in the south tower, " he said, and Rupert was ledaway. 

Number four was a cell on the third story of the south tower. Morethan that Rupert did not know. There was no looking out from theloopholes that admitted light, for they were boarded up on theoutside. There was a fireplace, a table, a chair, and a bedstead. Twice a day a gaoler entered with provisions; he made no reply toRupert's questions, but shook his head when spoken to. 

For the first week Rupert bore his imprisonment with cheerfulness, but the absolute silence, the absence of anything to break thedreary monotony, the probability that he might remain a prisonerall his life, was crushing even to the most active and energetictemperament. 

At the end of a month the gaoler made a motion for him to followhim. Ascending the stairs to a great height, they reached theplatform on the top of the tower. 

Rupert was delighted with the sight of the sky, and of thewide-spreading fields--even though the latter was covered withsnow. For a half-an-hour he paced rapidly round and round thelimited walk. Presently the gaoler touched him, and pointing below, said:

"Look!"

Rupert looked over the battlement, and saw a little party issuefrom a small postern gate far below him, cross the broad fosse, andpause in an open space formed by an outlying work beyond. They borewith them a box. 

"A funeral?" Rupert asked. 

The man nodded. 

"They all go out at last, " he said, "but unless they tell what theyare wanted to tell, they go no other way. "

Five minutes later Rupert was again locked up in his cell, when hewas, in the afternoon of the same day, visited by the governor, whoasked if he would say where he had taken Mademoiselle Pignerolles. 

"You may as well answer, " he said. "You will never go out aliveunless you do. "

Rupert shook his head. 

"I do not admit that I know aught concerning the lady you name; butdid I so, I should prefer death to betraying her. "

"Ay, " the governor said, "you might do that; but death is verypreferable to life at Loches. "

In a day or two Rupert found himself again desponding. 

"This will not do, " he said earnestly. "I must arouse myself. Letme think, what have I heard that prisoners do? In the first placethey try to escape; and some have escaped from places as difficultas Loches. Well, that is one thing to be thought very seriouslyabout. In the next place, I have heard of their making pets ofspiders and all sorts of things. Well, I may come to that, but atpresent I don't like spiders well enough to make pets of them;besides I don't see any spiders to make pets of. Then someprisoners have carved walls, but I have no taste for carving. 

"I might keep my muscles in order and my health good by exercisewith the chair and table; get to hold them out at arm's length, lift the table with one hand, and so on. Yes, all sorts of exercisemight be continued in that way, and the more I take exercise thebetter I shall sleep at night and enjoy my meals. Yes, with nothingelse to do I might become almost a Samson here. 

"There, now my whole time is marked out--escape from prison, andexercise. I'll try the last first, and then think over the other. "

For a long time Rupert worked away with his furniture until he hadquite exhausted himself; then feeling happier and better than hehad done since he was shut up, he began to think of plans ofescape. The easiest way would of course be to knock down and gagthe gaoler, and to escape in the clothes; but this plan he putaside at once, as it was morally certain that he should be nonearer to his escape after reaching the courtyard of the prison, than he was in the cell. There remained then the chimney, theloophole, and the solid wall. 

The chimney was the first to disappear from the calculation. Looking up it, Rupert saw that it was crossed by a dozen iron bars, the height too was very great, and even when at the top the heightwas immense to descend to the fosse. 

The loophole was next examined. It was far too narrow to squeezethrough, and was crossed by three sets of bars. The chance ofwidening the narrow loophole and removing the bars withoutdetection was extreme; besides, Rupert had a strong idea that theloophole looked into the courtyard. 

Finally he came to the conclusion, that if an escape was to be madeit must be by raising a flag of the floor, tunnelling between hisroom and that underneath it, and working out through the solidwall. It would be a tremendous work, for the loophole showed himthat the wall must be ten feet thick; still, as he said to himself, it will be at least something to do and to think about, and even ifit takes five years and comes to nothing, it will have been useful. 

Thus resolved, Rupert went to work, and laboured steadily. Hisexercise with the chair and table succeeded admirably, and aftersix months he was able to perform feats of strength with them thatsurprised himself. With his scheme for escape he was lessfortunate. Either his tools were faulty, or the stones he had towork upon were too compact and well built, but beyond getting upthe flag, making a hole below it in the hard cement which filled inthe space between the floor, large enough to bury a good sized cat, Rupert achieved nothing. 

He had gone into prison in November, it was now August, and he wasfast coming to the idea that Loches was not to be broken out of bythe way in which he was attempting to do it. 

One circumstance gave him intense delight. Adele's hiding place hadnot been discovered. This he was sure of by the urgency with whichthe governor strove to extract from him the secret of herwhereabouts. Their demands were at the last meeting mingled withthreats, and Rupert felt that the governor had received stringentorders to wring the truth from him. So serious did these menacesbecome that Rupert ceased to labour at the floor of his cell, beingassured that ere long some change or other would take place. He wasnot mistaken. One day the governor entered, attended, as usual, bythe gaoler and another official. 

"Sir, " he said to Rupert, "we can no longer be trifled with. I haveorders to obtain from you the name of the place to which youescorted the young lady you went off with. If you refuse to answerme, a different system to that which has hitherto been pursued willbe adopted. You will be removed from this comfortable room andplaced in the dungeons. Once there, you must either speak or die, for few men are robust enough to exist there for many weeks. 

"I am sorry, sir, but I have my duty to do. Will you speak, or willyou change your room?"

"I will change my room, " Rupert said, quietly. "I may die; but ifby any chance I should ever see the light again, be assured thatall Europe shall know how officers taken in war are treated by theKing of France. "

The governor shrugged his shoulders, made a sign to the gaoler, whoopened the door, and as the governor left four other wardersentered the room. Rupert smiled, he knew that this display of forcewas occasioned by the fact that his gaoler, entering his roomsuddenly, had several times caught him balancing the weighty tableon his arm or performing other feats which had astounded theFrenchman. The work at the cell wall had always been done at night. 

"I am ready to accompany you, " Rupert said, and without anotherword followed his conductor downstairs. 

Arrived at a level with the yard, another door was unlocked, andthe party descended down some stairs, where the cold dampness ofthe air struck a chill to Rupert's heart. Down some forty feet, andthen a door was unlocked, and Rupert saw his new abode. It was ofabout the same size as the last, but was altogether withoutfurniture. In one corner, as he saw by the light of a lantern whichthe gaoler carried, was a stone bench on which was a bundle ofstraw. The walls streamed with moisture, and in some places thewater stood in shallow pools on the floor; the dungeon was sometwelve feet high; eight feet from the ground was a narrow loophole, eighteen inches in height and about three inches wide. The gaolerplaced a pitcher of water and a piece of bread on the bench, andthen without a word the party left. 

Rupert sat quiet on the bench for an hour or two before his eyesbecame sufficiently accustomed to the darkness to see anything, forbut the feeblest ray of light made its way through so small aloophole in a wall of such immense thickness. 

"The governor was right, " he muttered to himself. "A month or twoof this place would kill a dog. "

It was not until the next day that the gaoler made his appearance. He was not the same who had hitherto attended him, but apowerful-looking ruffian who was evidently under no orders as tosilence such as those which had governed the conduct of the other. 

"Well, " he began, "and how does your worship like your new palace?"

"It is hardly cheerful, " Rupert said; "but I do not know thatpalaces are ever particularly cheerful. "

"You are a fine fellow, " the gaoler said, looking at Rupert by thelight of his lantern. "I noted you yesterday as you came down, andI thought it a pity then that you would not say what they wantedyou to. I don't know what it is, and don't want to; but when aprisoner comes down here, it is always because they want to getsomething out of him, or they want to finish with him for good andall. You see you are below the level of the moat here. The watercomes at ordinary times to within six inches of that slit up there. And in wet weather it happens sometimes that the stream which feedsthe moat swells, and if it has been forgotten to open the sluicegates of the moat, it will rise ten feet before morning. I onceknew a prisoner drowned in the cell above this. "

"Well, " Rupert said, calmly. "After all one may as well be drownedas die by inches. I don't owe you any ill will, but I should bealmost glad if I did, for then I should dash your brains outagainst the wall, and fight till they had to bring soldiers down tokill me. "

The man gave a surly growl. 

"I have my knife, " he said. 

"Just so, " Rupert answered; "and it may be, although I do not thinkit likely, that you might kill me before I knocked your brains out;but that would be just what I should like. I repeat, it is onlybecause I have no ill will towards you that I don't at once begin astruggle which would end in my death one way or another. "

The gaoler said no more; but it was clear that Rupert's words hadin no slight degree impressed him, for he was on all his futurevisits as civil as it was within his nature to be. 

"Whenever you wish to see the governor, he will come to you. " hesaid to Rupert one day. 

"If the governor does not come till I send for him, " Rupertanswered, "he will never come. "

Even in this dungeon, where escape seemed hopeless, Rupertdetermined to do his best to keep life and strength together. Nothing but the death of the king seemed likely to bring relief, and that event might be many years distant. When it took place, hisold friend would, he was sure, endeavour in every way to find outwhere he was confined, and to obtain his release. At any rate hedetermined to live as long as he could; and he kept up his spiritsby singing scraps of old songs, and his strength by such gymnasticexercises as he could carry out without the aid of any movablearticle. At first he struck out his arms as if fighting, so manyhundred of times; then he took to walking on his hands; and at lasthe loosened one of the stones which formed the top of the bed, andinvented all sorts of exercises with it. 

"What is the day and month?" he said one day to his gaoler. 

"It is the 15th of October. "

"It is very dark, " Rupert said, "darker than usual. "

"It is raining, " the jailer said; "raining tremendously. "

Late that night Rupert was awoke by the splashing of water. Heleaped to his feet. The cell was already a foot deep in water. 

"Ha!" he exclaimed, "it is one thing or the other now. "

Rupert had been hoping for a flood; it might bring death, but hethought that it was possible that it might bring deliverance. 

The top of the loophole was some two and a half feet from thevaulted roof; the top of the door was about on the same level, orsome six inches lower. The roof arched some three feet above thepoint whence it sprang. 

Rupert had thought it all over, and concluded that it was possible, nay almost certain, that even should the water outside rise tenfeet above the level of his roof, sufficient air would be pent upthere to prevent the water from rising inside, and to supply himwith sufficient to breathe for many hours. He was more afraid ofthe effects of cold than of being drowned. He felt that in a floodin October the water was likely to be fairly warm, and hecongratulated himself that it was now, instead of in December, thathe should have to pass through the ordeal. 

Before commencing the struggle, he kneeled for some time in prayeron his bed, and then, with a firm heart, rose to his feet andawaited the rising of the water. This was rapid indeed. It wasalready two feet over his bed, and minute by minute it rose higher. 

When it reached his chin, which it did in less than a quarter of anhour from the time when he had first awoke, he swam across to theloophole, which was now but a few inches above the water, andthrough which a stream of water still poured. Impossible as it wasfor any human being to get through the narrow slit, an iron bar hadbeen placed across it. Of this Rupert took hold, and remainedquiescent as the water mounted higher and higher; presently it roseabove the top of the loophole, and Rupert now watched anxiously howfast it ran. Floating on his back, and keeping a finger at thewater level against the wall, he could feel that the water stillrose. It seemed to him that the rise was slower and slower, and atlast his finger remained against a point in the stones for someminutes without moving. The rise of the water inside the dungeonhad ceased. 

That it continued outside he guessed by a slight but distinctfeeling of pressure in the air, showing that the column of wateroutside was compressing it. He had no fear of any bad consequencesfrom this source, as even a height of twelve feet of water outsidewould not give any unbearable pressure. He was more afraid that hehimself would exhaust the air, but he believed that there would besufficient; and as he knew that the less he exerted himself theless air he required, he floated quietly on his back, with his feetresting on the bar across the loophole, now two feet under water. 

He scarcely felt the water cold. The rain had come from a warmquarter; and the temperature of the water was actually higher thanthat of the cold and humid dungeon. 

Hour after hour passed. The night appeared interminable. From timeto time Rupert dived so as to look through the loophole, and atlast was rewarded by seeing a faint dull light. Day was beginning;and Rupert had no doubt that with early morning the sluices wouldbe opened, and the moat entirely cleared of water. 

He had, when talking with his gaoler one day, asked him how theygot rid of the water in the dungeon after a flood, and the man saidthat there were pipes from the floor of each dungeon into the moat. At ordinary times these pipes were closed by wooden plugs, as thewater outside was far above the floor; but that after a flood thewater was entirely let out of the moat, and the plugs removed fromthe pipes, which thus emptied the dungeons. 

From the way in which the fellow described the variousarrangements, Rupert had little doubt that the sluice gates were attimes purposely left closed, in order to clear off troublesomeprisoners who might otherwise have remained a care and expense tothe state for years to come. 

Long as the night had seemed, it seemed even longer before Rupertfelt that the water was sinking. He knew that after the uppersluice had opened the fosse might take some time to fall to thelevel of the water inside the dungeon, and that until it did thewater inside would remain stationary. 

He passed the hours by changing his position as much as possible;sometimes he swam round and round, at other times he trod water, then he would float quietly, then cling to the bar of the loophole. 

The descent of the water came upon him at last as a surprise. Hewas swimming round and round, and had not for some time touched thewall, when suddenly a ray of light flashed in his face. He gave acry of joy. The water had fallen below the top of the loophole, andswimming up to it, he could see across the fosse, and watch thesunlight sparkling on the water. It was two months since he hadseen the light, and the feeling of joy overpowered him more thanthe danger he had faced. 

Rapidly the water fell, until it was level with the bottom of theloophole. Then hours passed away; for the fosse would have to beemptied before the drain leading from the dungeon could be opened. However, Rupert hardly felt the time long. With his hands on thebar and in the loophole, he remained gazing out at the sunlight. 

The water in the fosse sank and sank, until he could no longer seeit; but he could see the sun glistening on the wet grass of thebank, and he was satisfied. At last he was conscious of a strain onhis arm, and withdrawing his gaze from without, he saw that thewater had fallen six inches. 

It now sank rapidly; and in an hour he could stand with his headabove it. Then he was able to sit down on his bed; but when thewater sank to a depth of two feet, he again lay on his back andfloated. He knew that a thick deposit of mud would be left, andthat it was essential for his plan that he should drift to the exithole of the water, and there be found, with the mud and slimeundisturbed by footsteps or movement. Another ten minutes, and helay on his back on the ground in a corner of the dungeon to whichthe water had floated him, having taken care towards the end tosink his head so that his hair floated partly over it, and as thewater drained off remained so. He guessed it to be about midday, and he expected to be left undisturbed until night. 

After a time he slept, and when he awoke it was dark, and soonafter he heard steps coming down the stairs. Now was the moment oftrial. Presently the door opened and four of the gaolers came in. They bore between them a stretcher. 

"This is the fifth, " one said, and he recognized the voice of hisown attendant. "It is a pity, he was a fine fellow. Well, there'sone more, and then the job's done. "

He bent over Rupert, who ceased breathing. 

"He's the only one with his eyes closed, " he said. "I expectthere's someone would break her heart if she knew he was lyinghere. Well, lift him up, mates. "

The two months' imprisonment in the dungeon had done one goodservice for Rupert. The absence of light had blanched his face, andeven had he been dead he could hardly have looked more white thanhe did. The long hours in the water had made his hands deadly cold, and the hair matted on his face added to the deathlike aspect. 

"Put the stretcher on the ground, and roll him over on to it, " oneof the men said. "I don't mind a dead man, but these are so clammyand slimy that they are horrible to touch. There, stand between himand the wall, put a foot under him, roll him over. There, nothingcould be better! Now then, off we go with him. The weight's morethan twice as much as the others. "

Rupert lay with his face down on the stretcher, and felt himselfcarried upstairs, then along several long passages, then through adoor, and felt the fresh evening air. Now by the sound he knew thathe was being carried over the bridge across the moat to the buryingground. Then the stretcher was laid down. 

"Now then, roll him over into the hole, " one said, "and let us goback for the last. Peste! I am sick of this job, and shall need abottle of eau de vie to put me straight again. "

One side of the stretcher was lifted, and Rupert was rolled over. The fall was not deep, some three or four feet only, and he fell ona soft mass, whose nature he could well guess at. A minute later heheard the retreating footsteps of his gaolers, and leaping from thegrave, stood a free man by its side. 

He knew that he was not only free, but safe from any activepursuit, for he felt sure that the gaolers, when they returned withtheir last load, would throw it in and fill up the grave, and thatno suspicion that it contained one short of the number would arise. 

This in itself was an immense advantage to him, for on the escapeof a prisoner from Loches--an event which had happened but once ortwice in its records--a gun was fired and the whole country turnedout in pursuit of the prisoner. 

Rupert paused for two minutes before commencing his flight, andkneeling down, thanked God for his escape. Then he climbed the lowramparts, dropped beyond them, and struck across country. Theexercise soon sent the blood dancing through his hands again, andby the morning he was thirty-five miles from Loches. 

He had stopped once, a mile or two after starting, when he came toa stream. Into this he had waded, and had washed the muck stainsfrom his clothes, hair, and face. 

With the morning dawn his clothes were dry, and he presented to theeye an aspect similar to that which he wore when captured at Bloisnearly a year before, of a dilapidated and broken-down soldier, forhe had retained in prison the clothes he wore when captured; butthey had become infinitely more dingy from the wear and tear ofprison, and the soaking had destroyed all vestige of colour. 

Presently he came to a mill by a stream. 

"Hallo!" the miller said cheerily, from his door. "You seem to havebeen in the wars, friend. "

"I have in my way, " Rupert said. "I was wounded in Flanders. I havebeen home to Bordeaux, and got cured again. I started for the armyagain, and some tramps who slept in the same room with me robbed meof my last shilling. To complete my disaster, last night, nothaving money to pay for a bed, I tramped on, fell into a stream, and was nearly drowned. "

"Come in, " said the miller. "Wife, here is a poor fellow out ofluck. Give him a bowl of hot milk, and some bread. "

Chapter 21: Back in Harness. 

"You must have had a bad time of it. " the miller said, as hewatched Rupert eating his breakfast. "I don't know that I ever sawanyone so white as you are, and yet you look strong, too. "

"I am strong, " Rupert said, "but I had an attack, and all my colourwent. It will come back again soon, but I am only just out. Youdon't want a man, do you? I am strong and willing. I don't want tobeg my way to the army, and I am ashamed of my clothes. There willbe no fighting till the spring. I don't want high pay, just my foodand enough to get me a suit of rough clothes, and to keep me inbread and cheese as I go back. "

"From what part of France do you come?" the miller asked. "Youdon't speak French as people do hereabouts. "

"I come from Brittany, " Rupert said; "but I learnt to speak theParis dialect there, and have almost forgotten my own, I have beenso long away. "

"Well, I will speak to my wife, " the miller said. "Our last handwent away three months since, and all the able-bodied men have beensent to the army. So I can do with you if my wife likes you. "

The miller's wife again came and inspected the wanderer, anddeclared that if he were not so white he would be well enough, butthat such a colour did not seem natural. 

Rupert answered her that it would soon go, and offered that if, atthe end of a week, he did not begin to show signs of colour coming, he would give up the job. 

The bargain was sealed. The miller supplied him with a pair ofcanvas trousers and a blouse. Rupert cut off his long hair, and setto work as the miller's man. 

In a week the miller's wife, as well as the miller himself, wasdelighted with him. His great strength, his willingness andcheeriness kept, as they said, the place alive, and the pallor ofhis face had so far worn off by the end of the week that themiller's wife was satisfied that he would, as he said, soon looklike a human being, and not like a walking corpse. 

The winter passed off quietly, and Rupert stood higher and higherin the liking of the worthy couple with whom he lived; the climaxbeing reached when, in midwinter, a party of marauders--for at thattime the wars of France and the distress of the people had filledthe country with bands of men who set the laws at defiance--five innumber, came to the mill and demanded money. 

The miller, who was not of a warlike disposition, would have givenup all the earnings which he had stored away, but Rupert took downan old sword which hung over the fireplace; and sallying out, ranthrough the chief of the party, desperately wounded two others, andby sheer strength tossed the others into the mill stream, standingover them when they scrambled out, and forcing them to dig a graveand bury their dead captain and to carry off their woundedcomrades. 

Thus when the spring came, and Rupert said that he must be going, the regrets of the miller and his wife were deep, and by offer ofhigher pay they tried to get him to stay. Rupert however was, ofcourse, unable to accede to their request, and was glad when theyreceived a letter from a son in the army, saying that he had beenlaid up with fever, and had got his discharge, and was juststarting to settle with them at the mill. 

Saying goodbye to his kind employers, Rupert started with a stoutsuit of clothes, fifty francs in his pocket, and a document signedby the Maire of the parish to the effect that Antoine Duprat, miller's man, had been working through the winter at Evres, and wasnow on his way to join his regiment with the army of Flanders. 

Determined to run no more risks if he could avoid it, he took aline which would avoid Paris and all other towns at which he hadever shown himself. Sometimes he tramped alone, more often withother soldiers who had been during the winter on leave to recoverfrom the effects of wounds or of fevers. From their talk Rupertlearned with satisfaction that the campaign which he had missed hadbeen very uneventful, and that no great battles had taken place. Itwas expected that the struggle that would begin in a few weekswould be a desperate one, both sides having made great efforts toplace a predominating force in the field. 

As he had no idea of putting on the French uniform even for a day, Rupert resolved as he approached the army frontier to abandon hisstory that he was a soldier going to take his place in the ranks. 

When he reached Amiens he found the streets encumbered with baggagewaggons taking up provisions and stores to the army. The drivershad all been pressed into the service. Going into a cabaret, heheard some young fellow lamenting bitterly that he had been draggedaway from home when he was in three weeks to have been married. Waiting until he left, Rupert followed him, and told him that hehad heard what he had said and was ready to go as his substitute, if he liked. For a minute or two the poor fellow could hardlybelieve his good fortune; but when he found that he was in earnesthe was delighted, and hurried off to the contractor in charge ofthe train--Rupert stopping with him by the way to buy a blouse, inwhich he looked more fitted for the post. 

The contractor, seeing that Rupert was a far more powerful anduseful-looking man than the driver whose place he offered to take, made no difficulty whatever; and in five minutes Rupert, with ametal plate with his number hung round his neck, was walking by theside of a heavily-loaded team, while their late driver, with hispapers of discharge in his pocket, had started for home almost wildwith delight. 

For a month Rupert worked backwards and forwards, between the postsand the depots. As yet the allies had not taken the field, and heknew that he should have no chance of crossing a wide belt ofcountry patrolled in every direction by the French cavalry. At theend of that time the infantry moved out from their quarters andtook the field, and the allied army advanced towards them. TheFrench army, under Vendome, numbered 100, 000 men, whileMarlborough, owing to the intrigues of his enemies at home, and thedissensions of the allies, was able to bring only 70, 000 into thefield. 

The French had correspondents in most of the towns in Flanders, where the rapacity of the Dutch had exasperated the people againsttheir new masters, and made them long for the return of the French. 

A plot was on foot to deliver Antwerp to the French, and Vendomemoved forward to take advantage of it; but Marlborough took post atHalle, and Vendome halted his army at Soignies, three leaguesdistant. Considerable portions of each force moved much closer toeach other, and lay watching each other across a valley but a milewide. 

Rupert happened to be with the waggons taking ammunition up to theartillery in an advanced position, and determined, if possible, toseize the opportunity of rejoining his countrymen. A lane runningbetween two high hedges led from the foot of the hill where he wasstanding, directly across the valley, and Rupert slipping awayunnoticed, made the best of his way down the lane. When nearly halfacross the valley, the hedges ceased, and Rupert issued out intoopen fields. 

Hitherto, knowing that he had not been noticed, he had husbandedhis breath, and had only walked quickly, but as he came into theopen he started at a run. He was already nearly half way betweenthe armies, and reckoned that before any of the French cavalrycould overtake him he would be within reach of succour by hisfriends. 

A loud shout from behind him showed that he was seen, and lookinground he saw that a French general officer, accompanied by anotherofficer and a dragoon, were out in front of their linesreconnoitring the British position. They, seeing the fugitive, setspurs to their horses to cut him off. Rupert ran at the top of hisspeed, and could hear a roar of encouragement from the troops infront. He was assured that there was no cavalry at this part of thelines, and that he must be overtaken long before he could getwithin the very short distance that then constituted musket range. 

Finding that escape was out of the question, he slackened hisspeed, so as to leave himself breath for the conflict. He was armedonly with a heavy stick. The younger officer, better mounted, andanxious to distinguish himself on so conspicuous an occasion, wasthe first to arrive. 

Rupert faced round. His cap had fallen off, and grasping the smallend of the stick, he poised himself for the attack. 

The French officer drew rein with a sudden cry, "You!" he exclaimed, "you! What, still alive?"

"Yet no thanks to you, Monsieur le Duc, " Rupert said, bitterly. "Even Loches could not hold me. "

His companions were now close at hand, and with a cry of fury theduke rode at Rupert. The latter gave the horse's nose a sharp blowas the duke's sweeping blow descended. The animal reared suddenly, disconcerting the aim, and before its feet touched the ground theheavy knob of Rupert's stick, driven with the whole strength of hisarm, struck the duke on the forehead. 

At the same instant as the duke fell, a lifeless mass, over thecrupper, Rupert leaped to the other side of the horse, placing theanimal between him and the other assailants as they swept down uponhim. Before they could check their horses he vaulted into thesaddle, and with an adroit wheel avoided the rush of the dragoon. 

The shouts of the armies, spectators of the singular combat, werenow loud, and the two Frenchmen attacked Rupert furiously, one oneach side. With no weapon but a stick, Rupert felt such a conflictto be hopeless, and with a spring as sudden as that with which hehad mounted he leapt to the ground, as the general on one side andthe dragoon on the other cut at him at the same moment. 

The spring took him close to the horse of the latter, and beforethe amazed soldier could again strike, Rupert had vaulted on to thehorse, behind him. Then using his immense strength--a strengthbrought to perfection by his exercise at Loches, and his work inlifting sacks as a miller's man--he seized with both hands theFrench soldier by the belt, lifted him from the seat, and threw himbackwards over his head, the man flying through the air some yardsbefore he fell on the ground with a heavy crash. Driving his heelsinto the horse, he rode him straight at the French general, as thelatter--who had dashed forward as Rupert unseated the trooper--cameat him. Rupert received a severe cut on the left shoulder, but theimpetus of the heavier horse and rider rolled the French officerand his horse on to the ground. Rupert shifted his seat into thesaddle, leapt the fallen horse, and stooping down seized theofficer by his waist belt, lifted him from the ground as if he hadbeen a child, threw him across the horse in front of him, andgalloped forward towards the allied lines, amid a perfect roar ofcheering, just as a British cavalry regiment rode out from betweenthe infantry to check a body of French dragoons who were gallopingup at full speed from their side. 

With a thundering cheer the British regiment reined up as Rupertrode up to them, the French dragoons having halted when they sawthat the struggle was over. 

"Why, as I live, " shouted Colonel Forbes, "it's the little cornet!"

"The little cornet! The little cornet!" shouted the soldiers, andwaved their swords and cheered again and again, in wild enthusiasm;as Colonel Forbes, Lauriston, Dillon, and the other officers, pressed forward to greet their long-lost comrade. 

Before, however, a word of explanation could be uttered, an officerrode up. 

"The Duke of Marlborough wishes to see you, " he said, in French. 

"Will you take charge of this little officer, colonel?" Rupertsaid, placing the French general, who was half suffocated bypressure, rage, and humiliation, on his feet again. 

"Now, sir, " he said to the officer, "I am with you. "

The latter led the way to the spot where the duke was sitting onhorseback surrounded by his staff, on rising ground a hundred yardsbehind the infantry regiment. 

"My Lord Duke, " Rupert said, as he rode up, "I beg to report myselffor duty. "

"Rupert Holliday!" exclaimed the duke, astonished. "My dear boy, where do you come from, and where have you been? I thought I waslooking at the deeds of some modern Paladin, but now it is allaccounted for. 

"I wrote myself to Marshal Villeroi to ask tidings of you, and toknow why you were not among the officers exchanged; and I was toldthat you had escaped from Lille, and had never been heard ofsince. "

"He never heard of me, sir, but his Majesty of France could havegiven you further news. But the story is too long for telling younow. "

"You must be anxious about your friends, Rupert. I heard fromColonel Holliday just before I left England, begging me to causefurther inquiries to be made for you. He mentioned that your ladymother was in good health, but greatly grieving at yourdisappearance. Neither of them believed you to be dead, and wereconfident you would reappear. 

"And now, who is the French officer you brought in?"

"I don't know, sir, " Rupert said, laughing. "There was no time forany formal introduction, and I made his acquaintance without askinghis name. "

An officer was at once sent off to Colonel Forbes to inquire thename of the prisoner. 

"There is one of your assailants making off!" the duke said; andRupert saw that the trooper had regained his feet and was limpingslowly away. 

"He fell light, " Rupert said; "he was no weight to speak of. "

"The other officer is killed, I think, " the duke said, looking witha telescope. 

"I fancy so, " Rupert said, drily. "I hit him rather hard. He wasthe Duc de Carolan, and as he had given much annoyance to a friendof mine, not to mention a serious act of disservice to myself, Imust own that if I had to kill a Frenchman in order to escape, Icould not have picked out one with whom I had so long an account tosettle. "

The officer now rode back, and reported that the prisoner wasGeneral Mouffler. 

"A good cavalry officer, " the duke said. "It is a useful capture. 

"And now, Rupert, you will want to be with your friends. If weencamp here tonight, come in to me after it is dark and tell mewhat you have been doing. If not, come to me the first evening wehalt. "

Rupert now rode back to his regiment, where he was again receivedwith the greatest delight. The men had now dismounted, and Rupert, after a few cordial words with his brother officers, went off tofind Hugh. 

He found the faithful fellow leaning against a tree, fairly cryingwith emotion and delight, and Rupert himself could not but shedtears of pleasure at his reunion with his attached friend. After atalk with Hugh, Rupert again returned to the officers, who werejust sitting down to a dinner on the grass. 

After the meal was over Rupert was called upon to relate hisadventures. Some parts of his narrative were clear enough, butothers were singularly confused and indistinct. The first partswere all satisfactory. Rupert's capture was accounted for. He saidthat in the person of the commanding officer he met an old friendof Colonel Holliday, who took him to Paris, and presented him atVersailles. 

Then the narrative became indistinct. He fell into disgrace. Hisfriend was sent back to the army, and he was sent to Lille. 

"But why was this, Rupert, " Captain Dillon--for he was now acaptain--asked. "Did you call his Majesty out? Or did you kissMadame de Maintenon? Or run away with a maid of honour?"

A dozen laughing suggestions were made, and then Rupert saidgravely:

"There was an unfounded imputation that I was interfering with theplans which his Majesty had formed for the marriage of a lady andgentleman of the court. "

Rupert spoke so gravely that his brother officers saw that anyjoking here would be ill timed; but sly winks were exchanged asRupert, changing the subject, went on to recount his captivity atLille. 

The story of his escape was listened to eagerly, and then Rupertmade a long pause, and coloured lightly. 

"Several things of no importance then happened, " he said, "and as Iwas going through the streets of Blois--"

"The streets of where?" Colonel Forbes asked, in astonishment. "Youescape from Lille, just on the frontier, what on earth were youdoing down at Blois, a hundred miles south of Paris?"

Rupert paused again. 

"I really cannot explain it, colonel. I shall make a point oftelling the duke, and if he considers that I acted wrongly, I mustbear his displeasure; but the matter is of no real importance, anddoes not greatly concern my adventures. Forgive me, if I do notfeel justified in telling it. All the rest is plain sailing. "

Again the narrative went on, and the surprise at hearing thatRupert had been confined at Loches, well known as a prison fordangerous political offenders, was only exceeded by that occasionedby the incidents of his escape therefrom. Rupert carried on hisstory to the point of the escape from the French, which they hadjust witnessed. 

There was a chorus of congratulations at his having gone safelythrough such great dangers; and Dillon remarked:

"It appears to me that you have been wasting your time and yourgifts most amazingly. Here have you been absent just two years, andwith the exception of a paltry marauder you do not seem to haveslain a single Frenchman, till you broke that officer's skulltoday. 

"I think, my friends, that the least we can do is to pass a formalvote of censure upon our comrade for such a grievous waste of hisnatural advantages. The only thing in his favour is, that he seemsto have been giving up his whole attention to growing, and he hasgot so prodigiously broad and big that now he has again joined ushe will be able to make up for the otherwise sinful loss of time. "

A chorus of laughter greeted Dillon's proposal, and the merry groupthen broke up, and each went off to his duty. 

Rupert's first effort was to obtain such clothes as would enablehim to appear in his place in the ranks without exciting laughter. Hugh told him that all his clothes and effects were in store atLiege, but indeed it was questionable whether any would be of useto him. He was not taller indeed than he was two years before, buthe was broader, by some inches, than before. From the quartermasterhe obtained a pair of jack boots which had belonged to a trooperwho had been killed in a skirmish two days before, and from thearmourer he got a sword, cuirass, and pistols. As to ridingbreeches there was no trouble, for several of the officers hadgarments which would fit him, but for a regimental coat he couldobtain nothing which was in any way large enough. Hugh wastherefore dispatched to Halle to purchase a riding coat of the bestfashion and largest size that he could find, and a hat as much aspossible in conformity with those generally worn. 

An hour or two later Lord Fairholm and Sir John Loveday rode over. The news of the singular fight on the ground between the armies, and of the reappearance of the famous "little cornet of the 5thdragoons" having spread apace through the army. 

Joyous and hearty were the greetings, and after a while, the partybeing joined by Dillon, Rupert gave his three friends a fullaccount of his adventures, omitting some of the particulars whichhe had not deemed it expedient to speak of in public. 

"I understand now, " Lord Fairholm said, "the change in your facewhich struck me. "

"Is my face changed?" Rupert said. "It does not seem to me that Ihave changed in face a bit since I joined, six years ago. "

"It is not in features, but in expression. You look good temperednow, Rupert, even merry when you smile, but no man could make amistake with you now. There is, when you are not speaking, a sortof intent look upon your face, intent and determined--theexpression which seems to tell of great danger expected and faced. No man could have gone through that two months in the dungeon ofLoches and come out unchanged. All the other dangers you have gonethrough--and you always seem to be getting into danger of somekind--were comparatively sharp and sudden, and a sudden peril, however great, may not leave a permanent mark; but the two monthsin that horrible den, from which no other man but yourself woulddeem escape possible, could not but change you. 

"When you left us, although you were twenty, you were in mostthings still a boy; there is nothing boyish about you now. It isthe same material, but it has gone through the fire. You were goodiron, very tough and strong, but you could be bent. Now, Rupert, you have been tried in the furnace and have come out steel. "

"You are very good to say so, " Rupert said, smiling, "but I don'tfeel all that change which you speak of. I hope that I am just asmuch up to a bit of fun as ever I was. At present I strike youperhaps as being more quiet; but you see I have hardly spoken to asoul for eighteen months, and have got out of the way rather. Allthat I do feel is, that I have gained greatly in strength, as thatunfortunate French trooper found to his cost today. 

"But there, the trumpets are sounding; it's too late for a battletoday, so I suppose we have got a march before us. "

Chapter 22: Oudenarde. 

The trumpet call which summoned Rupert and his friends to horsewas, as he suspected, an indication that there was a generalmovement of the troops in front. 

Vendome had declined to attack the allies in the position they hadtaken up, but had moved by his right to Braine le Leude, a villageclose to the ground on which, more than a hundred years later, Waterloo was fought, and whence he threatened alike Louvain andBrussels. Marlborough moved his army on a parallel line toAnderleet. No sooner had he arrived there, than he found thatVendome was still moving towards his right--a proof that Louvainwas really the object of the attack. Again the allied troops wereset in motion, and all night, through torrents of rain, theytramped wearily along, until at daybreak they were in position atParc, covering the fortress of Louvain. Vendome, finding himselfanticipated, fell back to Braine le Leude without firing a shot. 

But though Marlborough had so far foiled the enemy, it was clearthat he was not in a condition to take the offensive before thearrival of Prince Eugene, who would, he trusted, be able to come tohis assistance; and for weeks the armies watched each other withoutmovement. 

On the 4th of July, Vendome suddenly marched from Braine le Leude, intending to capture the fortress of Oudenarde. Small bodies oftroops were sent off at the same time to Ghent and Bruges, whoseinhabitants rose and admitted the French. Marlborough, seeing thedanger which threatened the very important fortress of Oudenarde, sent orders to Lord Chandos who commanded at Ath, to collect allthe small garrisons in the neighbourhood, and to throw himself intoOudenarde. This was done before Vendome could reach the place, which was thus secured against a coup de main. Vendome invested thefortress, brought up his siege train from Tournay, and movedtowards Lessines with his main army, to cover the siege. 

The loss of Ghent and Bruges, the annoyances he suffered from partyattacks at home, and the failure of the allies to furnish thepromised contingents, so agitated Marlborough that he was seizedwith an attack of fever. 

Fortunately, on the 7th of July Prince Eugene arrived. Finding thathis army could not be up in time, he had left them, and, accompanied only by his personal staff, had ridden on to joinMarlborough. 

The arrival of this able general and congenial spirit did much torestore Marlborough; and after a council with the prince, hedetermined to throw his army upon Vendome's line of communications, and thus force him to fight with his face to Paris. 

At two in the morning of the 9th of July, the allies broke up theircamp, and advanced in four great columns towards Lessines and theFrench frontier. By noon the heads of the columns had reachedHerfelingen, fourteen miles from their starting point, and bridgeswere thrown across the Dender, and the next morning the armycrossed, and then stood between the French and their own frontier. 

Vendome, greatly disconcerted at finding that his plans had allbeen destroyed, ordered his army to fall back to Gavre on theScheldt, intending to cross below Oudenarde. 

Marlborough at once determined to press forward, so as to force ona battle, having the advantage of coming upon the enemy whenengaged in a movement of retreat. Accordingly, at daybreak on the11th, Colonel Cadogan, with the advanced guard, consisting of thewhole of the cavalry and twelve battalions of infantry, pushedforward, and marched with all speed to the Scheldt, which theyreached by seven o'clock. Having thrown bridges across it, hemarched to meet the enemy, his troops in battle array; the infantryopposite Eynes, the cavalry extending to the left towardsSchaerken. Advancing strongly down the river in this order, Cadogansoon met the French advanced guard under Biron, which was moving upfrom Gavre. In the fighting the French had the advantage, retainingpossession of Eynes, and there awaiting the advance of the English. 

Meanwhile Marlborough and Eugene, with the main body of the army, had reached the river, and were engaged in getting the troopsacross the narrow bridges, but as yet but a small portion of theforces had crossed. Seeing this, Vendome determined to crush theBritish advanced guard with the whole weight of his army, and sohalted his troops and formed order of battle. 

The country in which the battle of Oudenarde was about to be foughtis undulating, and cut up by several streams, with hedgerows, fields, and enclosures, altogether admirably adapted for an armyfighting a defensive battle. The village of Eynes lies about a milebelow Oudenarde and a quarter of a mile from the Scheldt. Throughit flows a stream formed by the junction of the two rivulets. At adistance of about a mile from the Scheldt, and almost parallel withthat river, runs the Norken, a considerable stream, which fallsinto the Scheldt below Gavre. Behind this river the ground risesinto a high plateau, in which, at the commencement of the fight, the greater portion of the French army were posted. 

The appearance of Colonel Cadogan with his advanced guardcompletely astonished the French generals. The allies were known tohave been fifteen miles away on the preceding evening, and that agreat army should march that distance, cross a great river, and bein readiness to fight a great battle, was contrary to all theircalculations of probabilities. 

The Duke of Burgundy wished to continue the march to Ghent. MarshalVendome pointed out that it was too late, and that although acountry so intersected with hedges was unfavourable ground for thearmy which possessed the larger masses of men, yet that a battlemust be fought. This irresolution and dissension on the part of theFrench generals wasted time, and allowed the allies to push largebodies of troops across the river unmolested. As fast as they gotover Marlborough formed them up near Bevere, a village a fewhundred yards north of Oudenarde. Marlborough then prepared to takethe offensive, and ordered Colonel Cadogan to retake Eynes. 

Four English battalions, under Colonel Sabine, crossed the streamand attacked the French forces in the village, consisting of sevenbattalions under Pfiffer, while the cavalry crossed the rivuletshigher up, and came down on the flank of the village. The resultwas three French battalions were surrounded and made prisoners, andthe other four routed and dispersed. 

The French generals now saw that there was no longer a possibilityof avoiding a general action. Vendome would have stood on thedefensive, which, as he had the Norken with its steep and difficultground in his front, was evidently the proper tactics to havepursued. He was, however, overruled by the Duke of Burgundy and theother generals, and the French accordingly descended from theplateau, crossed the Norken, and advanced to the attack. The armieswere of nearly equal strength, the French having slightly theadvantage. The allies had 112 battalions and 180 squadrons, in all80, 000 men; the French, 121 battalions and 198 squadrons, in all85, 000 men. 

The French again lost time, and fell into confusion as theyadvanced, owing to Marshal Vendome's orders being countermanded bythe Duke of Burgundy, who had nominally the chief command, and whowas jealous of Vendome's reputation. Marlborough divined the causeof the hesitation, and perceiving that the main attack would bemade on his left, which was posted in front of the Castle ofBevere, half a mile from the village of the same name; orderedtwelve battalions of infantry under Cadogan to move from his rightat Eynes to reinforce his left. 

He then lined all the hedges with infantry, and stationing twentyBritish battalions under Argyle with four guns in reserve, awaitedthe attack. But few guns were employed on either side during thebattle, for artillery in those days moved but slowly, and the rapidmovements of both armies had left the guns far behind. 

The French in their advance at once drew in four battalions, postedat Groenvelde, in advance of Eynes, and then bearing to theirright, pressed forward with such vigour that they drove back theallied left. At this point were the Dutch and Hanoverian troops. Marlborough now dispatched Eugene to take command of the British onthe right, directed Count Lottum to move from the centre withtwenty battalions to reinforce that side of the fight, and wenthimself to restore the battle on the left. 

Eugene, with his British troops, were gradually but steadily, inspite of their obstinate resistance, being driven back, whenLottum's reinforcements arrived, and with these Eugene advanced atonce, and drove back the enemy. As these were in disorder, GeneralNatzmer, at the head of the Prussian cuirassiers, charged them anddrove them back, until he himself was fallen upon by the Frenchhorse guards in reserve, while the infantry's fire from thehedgerows mowed down the cuirassiers. So dreadful was the fire thathalf the Prussian cavalry were slain, and the rest escaped withdifficulty, hotly pursued by the French household troops. 

An even more desperate conflict was all this time raging on theleft. Here Marlborough placed himself at the head of the Dutch andHanoverian battalions, and led them back against the French, whowere advancing with shouts of victory, and desperate strugglesensued. Alison in his history says:

"The ground on which the hostile lines met was so broken, that thebattle in that quarter turned almost into a series of partialconflicts and even personal encounters. Every bridge, every ditch, every wood, every hamlet, every enclosure, was obstinatelycontested, and so incessant was the roll of musketry, and sointermingled did the hostile lines become, that the field, seenfrom a distance, appeared an unbroken line of flame. A warmer fire, a more desperate series of combats, was never witnessed in modernwarfare. It was in great part conducted hand to hand, like thebattles of antiquity, of which Livy and Homer have left suchgraphic descriptions. The cavalry could not act, from the multitudeof hedges and copses which intersected the theatre of conflict. Breast to breast, knee to knee, bayonet to bayonet, they maintainedthe fight on both sides with the most desperate resolution. If theresistance, however, was obstinate, the attack was no lessvigorous, and at length the enthusiastic ardour of the Frenchyielded to the steady valour of the Germans. Gradually they weredriven back, literally at the bayonet's point; and at length, resisting at every point, they yielded all the ground they had wonat the commencement of the action. So, gradually they were pushedback as far as the village of Diepenbech, where so stubborn a standwas made that the allies could no longer advance. "

Overkirk had now got the rear of the army across the river, and theduke, seeing that the Hill of Oycke, which flanked the enemy'sposition, was unoccupied by them, directed the veteran general withhis twenty Dutch and Danish battalions to advance and occupy it. Arrived there, he swung round the left of his line, and so pressedthe French right, which was advanced beyond their outer bounds intothe little plain of Diepenbech. The duke commanded Overkirk topress round still further to his left by the passes of Mullem andthe mill of Royeghem, by which the French sustained theircommunication with the force still on the plateau beyond theNorken; and Prince Eugene to further extend his right so as toencompass the mass of French crowded in the plain of Diepenbech. 

The night was falling now, and the progress of the allies on eitherflank could be seen by the flashes of fire. Vendome, seeing theimmense danger in which his right and centre were placed, endeavoured to bring up his left, hitherto intact; but theincreasing darkness, the thick enclosures, and the determinedresistance of Eugene's troops, prevented him from carrying out hisintention. So far were the British wings extended round the plainof Diepenbech, that they completely enclosed it, and Eugene's andOverkirk's men meeting fought fiercely, each believing the other tobe French. The mistake was discovered, and to prevent any furthermishap of this kind in the darkness, the whole army was ordered tohalt where it was and wait till morning. Had the daylight lastedtwo hours longer, the whole of the French army would have beenslain or taken prisoners; as it was, the greater portion made theirway through the intervals of the allied army around them, and fledto Ghent. Nevertheless, they lost 6, 000 killed and wounded, and9, 000 prisoners, while many thousands of the fugitives made for theFrench frontier. Thus the total loss to Vendome exceeded 20, 000men, while the allies lost in all 5000. 

When morning broke, Marlborough dispatched forty squadrons of horsein pursuit of the fugitives towards Ghent, sent off Count Lottumwith thirty battalions and fifty squadrons to carry the stronglines which the enemy had constructed between Ypres and Warneton, and employed the rest of his force in collecting and tending thewounded of both armies. 

A few days later the two armies, that of Eugene and that of theDuke of Berwick, which had been marching with all speed parallel toeach other, came up and joined those of Marlborough and Vendomerespectively. The Duke of Berwick's corps was the more powerful, numbering thirty-four battalions and fifty-five squadrons, and thisraised the Duke de Vendome's army to over 110, 000, and placed himagain fairly on an equality with the allies. Marlborough, having byhis masterly movement forced Vendome to fight with his face toParis, and in his retreat to retire still farther from thefrontier, now had France open to him, and his counsel was that thewhole army should at once march for Paris, disregarding thefortresses just as Wellington and Blucher did after Waterloo. 

He was however, overruled, even Eugene considering such an attemptto be altogether too dangerous, with Vendome's army, 110, 000strong, in the rear; and it must be admitted it would certainlyhave been a march altogether without a parallel. 

Finding that his colleagues would not consent to so daring andadventurous a march, Marlborough determined to enter France, andlay siege to the immensely strong fortress of Lille. This was initself a tremendous undertaking, for the fortifications of the townwere considered the most formidable ever designed by Vauban. Thecitadel within the town was still stronger, and the garrison of15, 000 picked troops were commanded by Marshal Boufflers, one ofthe most skillful generals in the French army. To lay siege to sucha fortress as this, while Vendome, with this army of 110, 000 men, lay ready to advance to its assistance, was an undertaking of thegreatest magnitude. 

In most cases the proper course to have taken would have been toadvance against and defeat Vendome before undertaking the siege ofLille; but the French general had entrenched his position with suchskill that he could not be attacked; while he had, moreover, theadvantage, that if the allies stood between him and France, hestood between them and their base, commanded the Scheldt and thecanals from Holland, and was therefore in position to interferegreatly with the onerous operation of bringing up stores for theBritish army, and with the passage to the front of the immensesiege train requisite for an operation of such magnitude as was nowabout to be undertaken, and for whose transport alone 16, 000 horseswere required. 

Chapter 23: The Siege of Lille. 

The British cavalry suffered less severely at Oudenarde than didthose of the other allied nationalities, as they were during thegreater portion of the day held in reserve; and neither Rupert norany of his special friends in the regiment were wounded. He was, however, greatly grieved at the death of Sir John Loveday, who waskilled by a cannonball at the commencement of the action. Two ofthe captains in the 5th were also killed, and this gave Rupertanother step. He could have had his captain's rank long before, hadhe accepted the Duke's offer, several times repeated, of a post onhis staff. He preferred, however, the life with his regiment, andin this his promotion was, of course, regular, instead of going upby favour, as was, and still is, the case on the staff. 

The train for the siege of Lille was brought up by canal fromHolland to Brussels; and although the French knew that a largeaccumulation of military stores was taking place there, they couldnot believe that Marlborough meditated so gigantic an undertakingas the siege of Lille, and believed that he was intending to laysiege to Mons. 

Berwick, with his army, which had since his arrival on the scene ofaction been lying at Douai, now advanced to Montagne; and Vendomedetached 18, 000 men from his army, lying between Ghent and Bruges, to Malle, to intercept any convoy that might move out fromBrussels. 

Marlborough's measures were, however, well taken. Eugene, withtwenty-five battalions and thirty squadrons, moved parallel to theconvoy, which was fifteen miles in length; while the Prince ofWurtemburg, General Wood, the Prince of Orange, each with a largeforce, were so placed as to check any movement of the enemy. 

The gigantic convoy left Brussels on the 6th of August, and reachedthe camp near Lille on the 15th, without the loss of a singlewagon. Prince Eugene, with 53 battalions and 90 squadrons, in all40, 000 men, undertook the siege; while Marlborough, with the mainarmy of 60, 000 men, took post at Heldun, where he alike preventedBerwick and Vendome from effecting a junction, and covered thepassage of convoys from Brussels, Ath, and Oudenarde. No less thaneighty-one convoys, with food, stores, etc. , passed safely along;and the arrangements for their safety were so perfect that theyexcited the lively admiration both of friends and foes. 

Feuguieres, the French annalist, asks, "How was it possible tobelieve that it was in the power of the enemy to convey to Lilleall that was necessary for the siege and supplies of the army, toconduct there all the artillery and implements essential for suchan undertaking; and that these immense burdens should betransported by land over a line of twenty-three leagues, under theeyes of an army of 80, 000 men, lying on the flank of a prodigiousconvoy, which extended over five leagues of road? Nevertheless, allthat was done without a shot being fired or a chariot unharnessed. Posterity will scarcely believe it. Nevertheless, it was the simpletruth. "

To facilitate his operations, Marlborough threw six bridges acrossthe Scheldt, and 10, 000 pioneers were collected to commence thelines which were to surround the city. The lines were projected notonly to shut in the city, but to protect the besiegers from attacksby a relieving army. Never since Caesar besieged Alesia had worksupon so gigantic a scale been constructed. They were fifteen milesin circumference, and the ditch was fifteen feet wide and ninedeep. 

On the 23rd of August, the lines of circumvallation being nownearly finished, Eugene opened his trenches and began operationsagainst the city, the parts selected for attack being the gates ofSaint Martin and of the Madelaine. These points were upon the sameside of the city, but were separated from each other by the riverDyle, which flows through the town. 

On the morning of the 24th the cannonade opened, Prince Eugenehimself firing the first gun on the right, the Prince of Orangethat on the left attack. The troops worked with the greatestenergy, and the next day forty-four guns poured their fire into theadvanced works round the chapel of the Madelaine, which stoodoutside the walls. The same night the chapel was carried byassault; but the next night, while a tremendous cannonade was goingon, 400 French issued quietly from their works, fell upon the 200Dutch who held the chapel, killed or drove them out, blew up thechapel, which served as an advanced post for the besiegers, andretired before reinforcements could arrive. 

Marshal Vendome now determined to unite with the Duke of Berwick, and to raise the siege, and by making a long and circuitous march, to avoid Marlborough's force. This was accomplished; the two armiesunited, and advanced to relieve Lille. 

Marlborough, who foresaw the line by which they would approach, drew up his army in order of battle, with his right resting on theDyle at Noyelles, and his left on the Margne at Peronne. Two hoursafter he had taken up his position, the French army, 110, 000strong, the most imposing France had ever put in the field, appeared before him. 

The Duke of Marlborough had been strengthened by 10, 000 men dispatchedto him by Prince Eugene from the besieging army, but he had only70, 000 men to oppose to the French. And yet, notwithstanding theirgreat superiority of numbers, the enemy did not venture to attack, andfor a fortnight the armies remained facing each other, without a blowbeing struck on either side. 

The French were, in fact, paralyzed by the jealousy of the twogreat generals commanding them, each of whom opposed the other'sproposals; and nothing could be decided until the king sentMonsieur Chamillard, the French minister of war, to examine thespot, and give instructions for an attack. 

The six days, however, which elapsed between the appearance of theFrench army in front of Marlborough and the arrival of MonsieurChamillard in camp, had given Marlborough time so to entrench hisposition, that upon reconnoitring it Chamillard, Vendome, Berwick, and the other generals, were unanimous in their opinion that it wastoo strong to be attacked. The great army therefore again retired, and taking up its post between Brussels and Lille, completelyinterrupted the arrival of further convoys or stores to the Britishcamp. 

The siege meantime had been pressed hotly. From the 27th of Augustto the 7th of September 120 cannon and eighty mortars thunderedcontinuously; and on the evening of the 7th two breaches wereeffected in the side of the bastions of the outworks that were tobe assaulted. 

Fourteen thousand men prepared to storm the outworks. The Frenchallowed them to get, with but slight resistance, into the coveredway, where a terrific fire was poured upon them. 800 were shot downin a few minutes, and two mines were exploded under them. Thefighting was desperate; but the assailants managed to retainpossession of two points in the outwork, a success most dearlypurchased with a loss of 2000 killed, and as many wounded. 

It was not until the 20th that a fresh attempt to carry the placeby storm was made. At this time Marlborough's position was becomingcritical. The fortress held out bravely. The consumption ofammunition was so enormous, that his supplies were almostexhausted, and a great army lay directly upon his line ofcommunication. It became a matter of necessity that the placeshould be taken. Immense efforts were made to secure the success ofthe assault. Enormous quantities of fascines were made for fillingup the ditch, and 5000 British troops were sent by Marlborough fromhis army to lead the assault. 

Rupert Holliday, with many other officers, accompanied this body asa volunteer. The troops were drawn up as the afternoon grew late, and just as it became dark they advanced to the assault. 

The besieged in the outworks assaulted were supported by the fireof the cannon and musketry of the ramparts behind, from which, sosoon as the dense masses of the stormers advanced, a stream offlame issued. So tremendous was the carnage, that three times thetroops recoiled before the storm of balls. 

On the fourth occasion Eugene himself led them to the assault, oneither side of him were the Princes of Orange and Hesse, and anumber of officers. 

"Remember Hochstadt, Ramilies, and Oudenarde!" the prince shouted;but scarcely had he spoken when he was struck to the ground by abullet, which struck and glanced over the left eye. 

Then the troops dashed forward, and forced their way into theoutwork. The French fought with magnificent resolution; and werefrom time to time reinforced by parties from the city. 

For two hours the fight raged. With bayonets and clubbed muskets, hand to hand, the troops fought. No one flinched or gave way;indeed it was safer to be in the front line than behind; for infront friends and foes were so mixed together, that the French onthe ramparts were unable to fire, but had to direct their aim atthe masses behind. 

At last the allies gained ground. Gradually, foot by foot, theFrench were thrust back; and Rupert, who had been fightingdesperately in the front line of the stormers' party, directed hisefforts to a part where a French officer still held his ground, nobly backed by his men. The piled up dead in front of them showedhow strenuous had been the resistance to the advancing wave of theallies. 

Rupert gradually reached the spot, and had no difficulty in placinghimself vis-a-vis to the French officer; for so terrible was hisskill, that others willingly turned aside to attack less dangerousopponents. In a moment the swords crossed!

The light was a strange one, flickering and yet constant, with thethousands of firearms, which kept up an unceasing roar. The swordsclashed and ground together, and after a pass or two both men drewback. A bright flash from a musket not a yard away threw a brightthough momentary light on their faces. 

"Monsieur Dessin!" Rupert exclaimed, in delight. 

"What! Is it possible?" the Frenchman exclaimed. "Rupert Holliday!"

At the moment there was a tremendous rush of the British. TheFrench were borne back, and hurled over the edge of the outwork;and before Rupert could avert the blow, the butt end of a musketfell with great force upon his late opponent's head. 

Rupert leapt forward, and lifting him in his arms, made his waywith him to the rear; for with that last rush the fight was over, and the allies had established themselves in the left demi-bastionof the outwork--an important advantage, but one which had cost them5000 killed and wounded, of whom 3000 belonged to the Englishforce, whom Marlborough had sent. The fact that more than half ofthem were hors-de-combat showed how fiercely they had fought. 

Owing to the wound of Prince Eugene, the Duke of Marlborough had todirect the operations of the siege as well as to command the armyin the field. On the 23rd he followed up the advantage gained onthe 20th, by a fresh attack in two columns, each 5000 strong, andheaded by 500 English troops. After being three times repulsed, these succeeded in maintaining a lodgment in another outwork;losing, however, 1000 men in the attack, the greater part beingdestroyed by the explosion of a mine. 

Both besiegers and besieged were now becoming straitened forammunition, for the consumption had been immense. The Frenchgenerals succeeded in passing a supply into the fortress in a verydaring manner. 

On the night of the 28th, 2500 horsemen set out from Douai, underthe command of the Chevalier de Luxembourg, each having fortypounds of powder in his valise. They arrived at the gate of thewalls of circumvallation, when the Dutch sentry cried out:

"Who comes there?"

"Open quickly!" the leader answered in the same language; "I amclosely pursued by the French. "

The sentry opened the gate, and the horsemen began to pass in. Eighteen hundred had passed without suspicion being excited, whenone of the officers, seeing that his men were not keeping close up, gave the command in French:

"Close up! close up!"

The captain of the guard caught the words, and suspectingsomething, ordered the party to halt; and then, as they still rodein, ordered the guard to fire. The discharge set fire to three ofthe powder bags, and the explosion spreading from one to another, sixty men and horses were killed. The portion of the troops stilloutside the gate fled, but the 800 who had passed in rode forwardthrough the allied camp and entered the town in safety, with 70, 000pounds of powder!

Another deed of gallantry, equal to anything ever told in fiction, was performed by a Captain Dubois of the French army. It was amatter of the highest importance for the French generals to learnthe exact state of things at Lille. Captain Dubois volunteered toenter the fortress by water. He accordingly left the French camp, and swimming through seven canals, entered the Dyle near the placewhere it entered the besiegers' lines. He then dived, and aided bythe current, swam under water for an incredibly long distance, soas entirely to elude the observation of the sentinels. He arrivedin safety in the town, exhausted with his great exertions. 

After having had dry clothes put on him, and having taken somerefreshment, he was conducted round the walls by Marshal Boufflers, who showed him all the defensive works, and explained to him thewhole circumstances of the position. The next night he again setout by the Dyle, carrying dispatches in an envelope of wax in hismouth, and after diving as before through the dangerous places, andrunning innumerable risks of detection, he arrived in safety in theFrench camp. 

But it was not the French alone who had run short of ammunition. Marlborough had also been greatly straitened, and there being nowno possibility of getting through convoys from Brussels, hepersuaded the home government to direct a considerable expedition, which had been collected for the purpose of exciting an alarm onthe coast of Normandy, and was now on board ship in the Downs, tobe sent to Ostend. It arrived there, to the number of fourteenbattalions and an abundant supply of ammunition, on the 23rd ofSeptember; and Marlborough detached 15, 000 men from his army toprotect the convoy on its way up. 

On the 27th of September, the convoy started, crossed the canal ofNieuport at Leffinghen, and directed its course by Slype to defilethrough the woods of Wyndendale. General Webb, who commanded thetroops detached for its protection, took post with 8000 men todefend its passage through the wood, which was the most dangerousportion of the journey, while Cadogan with the rest of the forcewas stationed at Hoglede to cover the march farther on. 

Vendome had received information of the march of the column, anddetached Monsieur de la Mathe with 20, 000 men to intercept theconvoy. At five in the evening the force approached the wood, through which the convoy was then filing. Webb posted his men inthe bushes, and when the French--confident in the great superiorityof numbers which they knew that they possessed--advanced boldly, they were received by such a terrible fire of musketry, poured inat a distance of a hundred yards, that they fell into confusion. They, however, rallied, and made desperate efforts to penetrate thewood, but they were over and over again driven back, and after twohours' fighting they retired, leaving the convoy to pass on insafety to the camp. 

In this glorious action 8000 English defeated 20, 000 French, andinflicted on them a loss of 4000 killed and wounded. Several freshassaults were now made, and gradually the allies won ground, until, on the eve of the grand assault, Marshal Boufflers surrendered thetown, and retired with the survivors of the defenders into thecitadel, which held out for another month, and then alsosurrendered. In this memorable siege, the greatest--with theexception of that of Sebastopol--that has ever taken place inhistory, the allies lost 3632 men killed, 8322 wounded, in all11, 954; and over 7000 from sickness. Of the garrison, originally15, 000 strong, and reinforced by the 1800 horsemen who made theirway through the allied camp, but 4500 remained alive at the time ofthe final capitulation. 

Marshall Boufflers only surrendered the citadel on the expressorder of Louis the 14th not to throw away any more lives of thebrave men under him. At the time of the surrender the last flask ofpowder was exhausted, and the garrison had long been living onhorseflesh. 

After Lille had fallen, Marlborough, by a feint of going intowinter quarters, threw the French generals off their guard; andthen by a rapid dash through their lines fell upon Ghent andBruges, and recaptured those cities before Vendome had time tocollect and bring up his army to save them. 

Then ended one of the most remarkable campaigns in the annals ofour own or any other history. 

Chapter 24: Adele. 

"My dear, dear lad, " the Marquis of Pignerolles said, as he madehis way with Rupert back out of the throng in the captured outwork;"what miracle is this? I heard that you had died at Loches. "

"A mistake, as you see, " Rupert laughed. "But I shall tell you allpresently. First, how is mademoiselle?"

"Well, I trust, " the marquis said; "but I have not heard of her foreighteen months. I have been a prisoner in the Bastille, and wasonly let out two months since, together with some other officers, in order to take part in the defence of Lille. Even then I shouldnot have been allowed to volunteer, had it not been that the Duc deCarolan, Adele's persecutor, was killed; and his Majesty's planshaving been thus necessarily upset, he was for the time being lessanxious to know what had become of Adele. "

"In that case you have to thank me for your deliverance, " Rupertsaid; "for it was I who killed monsieur le duc, and never in mylife did I strike a blow with a heartier goodwill. "

"You!" the marquis exclaimed in astonishment; "but I might haveguessed it. I inquired about his death when I reached Lille, andwas told by an officer who was there that he was killed in anextraordinary combat, in which General Mouffler, a trooper, andhimself were put hors de combat in sight of the whole army, by adeserter of demoniacal strength, skill, and activity. I ought tohave recognized you at once; and no doubt should have done so, hadI not heard that you were dead. I never was so shocked, dear boy, in all my life, and have done nothing but blame myself for allowingyou to run so fearful a risk. "

On arriving at the camp Rupert presented his prisoner to the Dukeof Marlborough, who having, when Rupert rejoined, heard the storyof his discovery in the Marquis de Pignerolles of his old friendMonsieur Dessin, received him with great kindness, and told himthat he was free to go where he liked until arrangements could bemade for his exchange. Rupert then took him to his tent, where theysat for many hours talking. 

Rupert learned that after his escape from Lille the marquis was forthree weeks confined to his bed. Before the end of that time amessenger brought him a letter from Adele, saying that she was welland comfortable. When he was able to travel he repaired at once toVersailles; having received a peremptory order from the king, a fewdays after Rupert left, to repair to the court the instant he couldbe moved. He found his Majesty in the worst of humours; thedisappearance of Adele had thwarted his plan, and Louis the 14thwas not a man accustomed to be baulked in his intentions. The newsof Rupert's escape from Lille had further enraged him, as heconnected it with Adele's disappearance; and the fact that thecapture of Rupert had thrown no light upon Adele's hiding place hadstill further exasperated him. 

He now demanded that the marquis should inform him instantly of herplace of concealment. This command the marquis had firmly declinedto comply with. He admitted that he could guess where she wouldtake refuge; but that as he sympathized with her in her objectionto the match which his Majesty had been pleased to make for her, hemust decline to say a word which could lead to her discovery. Uponleaving the king's presence he was at once arrested, and conveyedto the Bastille. 

Imprisonment in the Bastille, although rigorous, was not, except inexceptional cases, painful for men of rank. They were well fed andnot uncomfortably lodged; and as the governor had been a personalfriend of the marquis previous to his confinement, he had beentreated with as much lenity as possible. After he had been a yearin prison, the governor came to his room and told him that Ruperthad been drowned by the overflowing of the moat at Loches, and thatif therefore his daughter was, as it was believed, actuated by anaffection for the Englishman in refusing to accept the husband thatthe king had chosen for her, it was thought that she might nowbecome obedient. He was therefore again ordered to name the placeof her concealment. 

The marquis replied that he was not aware that his daughter had anyaffection for Rupert beyond the regard which an acquaintance ofmany years authorized; and that as he was sure the news would in noway overcome her aversion to the match with the Duc de Carolan, hemust still decline to name the place where he might suspect thatshe had hidden herself. 

He heard nothing more for some months; and then the governor toldhim privately that the duke was dead, and that as it was thoughtthat Lille would be besieged, two or three other officers in theBastille had petitioned for leave to go to aid in the defence. Hadthe duke still lived, the governor was sure that any such requeston the part of the marquis would have been refused. As it was, however, his known military skill and bravery would be so useful inthe defence, that it was possible that the king would now consent. The marquis had therefore applied for, and had received, permissionto go to aid in the defence of Lille. 

Rupert then told his story, which excited the wonder and admirationof the marquis to the highest point. When he concluded, he said:

"And now, monsieur le marquis, I must say what I have never saidbefore, because until I travelled with her down to Poitiers I didnot know what my own feelings really were. Then I learned to knowthat which I felt was not a mere brotherly affection, but a deeplove. I know that neither in point of fortune nor in rank am I theequal of mademoiselle; but I love her truly, sir, and the Chace, which will some day be mine, will at least enable me to maintainher in comfort. 

"Monsieur le marquis, may I ask of you the hand of your daughter?"

"You may indeed, my dear Rupert, " the marquis said warmly, takinghis hand. "Even when in England the possibility that this mightsome day come about occurred to me; and although then I should haveregretted Adele's marrying an Englishman, yet I saw in yourcharacter the making of a man to whom I could safely entrust herhappiness. When we met again, I found that you had answered myexpectation of you, and I should not have allowed so great anintimacy to spring up between you had I not been willing that sheshould, if she so wished it, marry you. 

"I no longer wish her to settle in France. After what I have seenof your free England, the despotism of our kings and the feudalpower of our nobles disgust me, and I foresee that sooner or latera terrible upheaval will take place. What Adele herself will say Ido not know, but imagine that she will not be so obstinate inrefusing to yield to the wishes of her father as she has been tothe commands of her king. 

"But she will not bring you a fortune, Rupert. If she marries you, her estates will assuredly be forfeited by the crown. They are sovirtually now, royal receivers having been placed in possession, but they will be formally declared forfeited on her marriage withyou. However, she will not come to you a dowerless bride. In sevenyears I have laid by sufficient to enable me to give her a dowrywhich will add a few farms to the Chace. 

"And now, Rupert, let us to sleep; day is breaking, and althoughyour twenty-three years may need no rest, I like a few hours' sleepwhen I can get them. "

Upon the following day the conversation was renewed. 

"I think, Rupert, that my captivity is really a fortunate one forour plans. So long as I remained in France my every movement wouldbe watched. I dared not even write to Adele, far less think ofgoing to see her. Now I am out of sight of the creatures of Louis, and can do as I please. 

"I have been thinking it over. I will cross to England. Thence Iwill make my way in a smuggler's craft to Nantes, where thegovernor is a friend of mine. From him I will get papers under anassumed name for my self and daughter, and with them journey toPoitiers, and so fetch her to England. "

"You will let me go with you, will you not?" Rupert exclaimed. "Noone can tell I am not a Frenchman by my speech, and I might beuseful. "

"I don't know, Rupert. You might be useful, doubtless, but yoursize and strength render you remarkable. "

"Well, but there are big Frenchmen as well as big Englishmen, "Rupert said. "If you travel as a merchant, I might very well go asyour serving man, and you and I together could, I think, carrymademoiselle in safety through any odds. It will not be long towait. I cannot leave until Lille falls, but I am sure the duke willgive me leave as soon as the marshal surrenders the city, whichcannot be very many days now; for it is clear that Vendome will notfight, and a desperate resistance at the end would be a mere wasteof life. "

So it was arranged, and shortly afterwards Rupert took his friendMajor Dillon into his confidence. The latter expressed the wildestjoy, shook Rupert's hand, patted him on the back, and absolutelyshouted in his enthusiasm. Rupert was astonished at the excess ofjoy on his friend's part, and was mystified in the extreme when hewound up:

"You have taken a great load off my mind, Rupert. You have made PatDillon even more eternally indebted to you than he was before. "

"What on earth do you mean, Dillon?" Rupert asked. "What is allthis extraordinary delight about? I know I am one of the luckiestfellows in the world, but why are you so overjoyed because I am inlove?"

"My dear Rupert, now I can tell you all about it. I told you, youknow, that in the two winters you were away I went, at theinvitation of Mynheer van Duyk, to Dort; in order that he mighthear whether there was any news of you, and what I thought of yourchance of being alive, and all that; didn't I?"

"Yes, you told me all that, Dillon; but what on earth has that gotto do with it?"

"Well, my boy, I stopped each time something like a month at Dort, and, as a matter of course, I fell over head and ears in love withMaria van Duyk. I never said a word, though I thought she liked mewell enough; but she was for ever talking about you and praisingyou, and her father spoke of you as his son; and I made sure it wasall a settled thing between you, and thought what a sly dog youwere never to have breathed a word to me of your good fortune. Ifyou had never come back I should have tried my luck with her; butwhen you turned up again, glad as I was to see you, Rupert, I madesure that there was an end of any little corner of hope I had had. 

"When you told me about your gallivanting about France with a younglady, I thought for a moment that you might have been in love withher; but then I told myself that you were as good as married toMaria van Duyk, and that the other was merely the daughter of yourold friend, to whom you were bound to be civil. Now I know you arereally in love with her, and not with Maria, I will try my luckthere, that is, if she doesn't break her heart and die when shehears of the French girl. "

"Break her heart! Nonsense, man!" Rupert laughed. "She was twoyears older than I was, and looked upon me as a younger brother. Her father lamented that I was not older, but admitted that anyidea of a marriage between us was out of the question. But I don'tknow what he will say to your proposal to take her over toIreland. "

"My proposal to take her over to Ireland!" repeated Dillon, inastonishment. "I should as soon think of proposing to take her tothe moon! Why, man, I have not an acre of ground in Ireland, nor ashilling in the world, except my pay. No; if she will have me, I'llsettle down in Dort and turn Dutchman, and wear big breeches, andtake to being a merchant. "

Rupert burst into a roar of laughter. 

"You a merchant, Pat! Mynheer van Duyk and Dillon! Why, man, you'dbring the house to ruin in a year. No, no; if Maria will have you, I shall be delighted; but her fortune will be ample without yourefforts--you who, to my positive knowledge, could never keep yourcompany's accounts without the aid of your sergeant. "

Dillon burst out laughing, too. 

"True for you, Rupert. Figures were never in my line, except it issuch a neat figure as Maria has. Ah, Rupert! I always thought you anice lad; but how you managed not to fall in love with her, thoughshe was a year or so older than yourself, beats Pat Dillonentirely. Now the sooner the campaign is over, and the army goesinto winter quarters, the better I shall be pleased. "

It was a dark and squally evening in November, when La BelleJeanne, one of the fastest luggers which carried on a contrabandtrade between England and France, ran up the river to Nantes. Shehad been chased for twelve hours by a British war ship, but had atlast fairly outsailed her pursuers, and had run in without mishap. On her deck were two passengers; Maitre Antoine Perrot, a merchant, who had been over to England to open relations with a large housewho dealt in silks and cloths; and his servant Jacques Bontemps, whose sturdy frame and powerful limbs had created the admiration ofthe crew of the Belle Jeanne. 

An hour later the lugger was moored against the quay, her crew hadscattered to their homes, and the two travellers were housed in aquiet cabaret near, where they had called for a private room. 

Half an hour later Maitre Perrot left the house, inquired the wayto the governor's residence, left a letter at the door, and thenreturned to the cabaret. At nine o'clock a cloaked stranger wasshown into the room. When the door was closed he threw off his hatand cloak. 

"My dear marquis, I am delighted to see you; but what means thiswild freak of yours?"

"I will tell you frankly, de Brissac. "

And the Marquis de Pignerolles confided to the Count de Brissac hisplan for getting his daughter away to England. 

"It is a matter for the Bastille of his most Christian Majesty, should he learn that I have aided you in carrying your daughteraway; but I will risk it, marquis, for our old friendship's sake. You want a passport saying that Maitre Antoine Perrot, merchant ofNantes, with his servant, Jacques Bontemps, is on his way toPoitiers, to fetch his daughter, residing near that town, and thatthat damsel will return with him to Nantes?"

"That is it, de Brissac. What a pity that it is not with us as inEngland, where every man may travel where he lists without a soulasking him where he goes, or why. "

"Ah! Well, I don't know, " said the count, who had the usualaristocratic prejudice of a French noble of his time. "It may suitthe islanders of whom you are so fond, marquis, but I doubt whetherit would do here. We should have plotters and conspirators goingall over the country, and stirring up the people. "

"Ah! Yes, count; but if the people had nothing to complain of, theywould not listen to the conspirators. But there, I know we shallnever agree about this. When the war is over you must cross thechannel, and see me there. "

"No, no, " de Brissac said, laughing. "I love you, de Pignerolles, but none of the fogs and mists of that chilly country for me. HisMajesty will forgive you one of these days, and then we will meetat Versailles. "

"So be it, " the marquis said. "When Adele's estates have beenbestowed upon one of his favourites, he will have no reason forkeeping me in exile; but we shall see. "

"You shall have your papers without fail tomorrow early, so you cansafely make your preparations. And now goodbye, and may fortuneattend you. "

It was not until noon next day that Maitre Perrot and his servantrode out from Nantes, for they had had some trouble in obtainingtwo horses such as they required, but had at last succeeded inobtaining two animals of great strength and excellent breeding. Thesaddle of Maitre Perrot had a pillion attached behind for a lady, but this was at present untenanted. 

Both travellers carried weapons, for in those days a journey acrossFrance was not without its perils. Discharged soldiers, escapedserfs, and others, banded together in the woods and wild parts ofFrance; and although the governors of provinces did their best topreserve order, the force at their command was but small, as everyman who could be raised was sent to the frontier, which the fall ofLille had opened to an invading army. 

Until they were well beyond Nantes, Rupert rode behind the marquis, but when they reached the open country he moved up alongside. 

"I do not know when I have enjoyed a week so much as the time wespent at the Chace, Rupert. Your grandfather is a wonderful oldman, as hard as iron; and your lady mother was most kind andcordial. She clearly bore no malice for my interference in her loveaffair some years ago. "

"Upon the contrary, " Rupert said. "I am sure that she feelsgrateful to you for saving her from the consequences of herinfatuation. "

Six days later, the travellers rode into Poitiers. They had metwith no misadventure on the way. Once or twice they had met partiesof rough fellows, but the determined bearing and evident strengthof master and man had prevented any attempt at violence. 

The next morning they started early, and after two hours' ridingapproached the cottage where Adele had for two years lived with herold nurse. They dismounted at the door. 

"Go you in, sir, " said Rupert. "I will hold the horses. Yourdaughter will naturally like best to meet you alone. "

The marquis nodded, lifted the latch of the door, and went in. There was a pause, and then he heard a cry of "Father!" just as thedoor closed. In another instant it opened again, and Margot stoleout, escaping to leave her mistress alone with her father. 

She ran down to the gate, looked at Rupert, and gave a littlescream of pleasure, leaping and clapping her hands. 

"I said so, monsieur. I always said so. 'When monsieur le marquiscomes, mademoiselle, you be sure monsieur l'Anglais will come withhim. '"

"And what did mademoiselle used to say?"

"Oh, she used to pretend she did not believe you would. But I knewbetter. I knew that when she said, over and over again, 'Is myfather never coming for me?' she was thinking of somebody else. Andare you come to take her away?"

Rupert nodded. 

The girl's face clouded. 

"Oh, how I shall miss her! But there, monsieur, the fact is--thefact is--"

"You need not pretend to be shy, " Rupert said, laughing. "I canguess what 'the fact is. ' I suppose that there is somebody in yourcase too, and that you are just waiting to be married tillmademoiselle goes. "

Margot laughed and coloured, and was going to speak, when the dooropened, and the marquis beckoned him in. 

"Mr. Holliday, " he said, as Rupert on entering found Adele leaningon her father's shoulder, with a rosy colour, and a look ofhappiness upon her face. "I have laid my commands upon my daughter, Mademoiselle Adele de Pignerolles, to receive you as her futurehusband, and I find no disposition whatever on her part to defy myauthority, as she has that of his Majesty. 

"There, my children, may you be happy together!"

So saying, he left the room, and went to look after the horse, leaving Adele and Rupert to their new-found happiness. 

Chapter 25: Flight and Pursuit. 

It was early in the afternoon when Monsieur Perrot, with hisdaughter behind him on a pillion, and his servant riding a shortdistance in the rear, rode under the gateway of Parthenay. A partyof soldiers were at the gateway, and a gendarmerie officer stoodnear. The latter glanced carelessly at the passport which themerchant showed him, and the travellers rode on. 

"Peste!" one of the soldiers said; "what is monsieur the Marquis dePignerolles doing here, riding about dressed as a bourgeois, with ayoung woman at his back?"

"Which is the Marquis de Pignerolles?" one of the others said. 

"He who has just ridden by. He was colonel of my regiment, and Iknow him as well as I do you. "

"It can't be him, Pierre. I saw Louis Godier yesterday, he has comehome on leave--he belongs to this town, you know--wounded at Lille. He was telling me about the siege, and he said that the marquis wastaken prisoner by the English. "

"Prisoner or not prisoner, " the other said obstinately, "that isthe marquis. Why, man, do you think one could be mistaken in hisown colonel?--a good officer, too; rather strict perhaps, but agood soldier, and a lion to fight. "

The gendarme moved quietly away, and repeated what he had heard tohis captain. 

"The Marquis de Pignerolles, travelling under the name of MonsieurPerrot, silk merchant of Nantes, with a young lady behind him, " theofficer exclaimed. "While he is supposed to be a prisoner inEngland? This must be his daughter, for whom we made such a searchtwo years ago, and who has been on our lists ever since. 

"This is important, Andre. I will go at once to the prefecture, andobtain an order for their arrest. They will be sure to have put upat the Fleur de Lys, it is the only hostelry where they could finddecent accommodation. Go at once, and keep an eye on them. There isno great hurry, for they will not think of going further today, andthe prefect will be at dinner just at present, and hates beingdisturbed. "

The marquis and Adele were standing over a blazing fire of logs inthe best room of the Fleur de Lys, when Rupert, who was looking outof the casemented window, said:

"Monsieur le marquis, I do not want to alarm you unnecessarily, butthere is a gendarme on the other side of the street watching thishouse. He was standing by a group of soldiers at the gate when werode through. I happened to notice him particularly. 

"He is walking slowly backwards and forwards. I saw him when I wasat the door a quarter of an hour ago, and he is there still, andjust now I saw him glance up at these windows. He is watching us. That is why I made an excuse to come up here to ask you about thehorses. "

"Are you sure, Rupert?"

"Quite sure, " Rupert said, gravely. 

"Then there is no doubt about it, " the marquis said; "for I knowthat you would not alarm us unnecessarily. What do you advise?"

"I will go down, " Rupert said, "and put the saddles on quietly. Thestable opens into the street behind. There is a flight of stairs atthe end of the long passage here, which leads down into a passagebelow, at the end of which is a door into the stable yard. I havejust been examining it. I should recommend Adele to put on herthings, and to be in readiness, and then to remain in her room. Ifyou keep a watch here, you will see everyone coming down thestreet, and the moment you see an officer approaching, if you willlock the door outside and take the key with you, then call Adele, and come down the back stairs with her into the yard, I will havethe horses in readiness. There is only one man in the stable. Acrown piece will make him shut his eyes as we ride out, and theywill be five minutes at the door before they find that we havegone. "

The marquis at once agreed to the plan, and Rupert went down intothe stable yard, and began to resaddle the horses. 

"What, off again?" the ostler said. 

"Yes, " Rupert answered. "Between you and I, my master has just seena creditor to whom he owes a heavy bill, and he wants to slip awayquietly. Here is a crown for yourself, to keep your tongue betweenyour teeth. 

"Now lend me a hand with these saddles, and help bring them outquickly when I give the word. "

The horses resaddled and turned in their stables ready to bebrought out without a moment's delay, Rupert took his place at theentrance, and watched the door leading from the hotel. In tenminutes it opened, and the marquis, followed by Adele, came out. 

"Quick with that horse, " Rupert said to the ostler; and seeing tothe other, they were in the yard as soon as the marquis came up. 

"An officer and eight men, " he whispered to Rupert as he leapt intothe saddle, while Rupert lifted Adele on to the pillion. 

"Mounted?"

"No. "

"Then we have a good half-hour's start. 

"Which is the way to the west gate?"

"Straight on, till you reach the wall; follow that to the right, itwill bring you to the gate. "

Rupert vaulted into his saddle, and the party rode out into thestreet; and then briskly, but without any appearance ofextraordinary haste, until they reached the gate. 

The guardian of the gate was sitting on a low block of wood at thedoor of the guardroom. There was, Rupert saw, no soldier about. Indeed, the place was quiet, for the evening was falling, and butfew people cared to be about in those times after nightfall. 

An idea flashed across Rupert's mind, and he rode up to themarquis:

"Please lead my horse, " he said. "Wait for me a hundred yards on. Iwill be with you in three minutes. "

Without waiting for an answer, he leapt from his horse, threw thereins to the marquis, and ran back to the gate, which was butthirty yards back. 

"A word with you, good man, " he said, going straight into theguardroom. 

"Hullo!" the man said, getting up and following him in. "And whomay you be, I should like to know, who makes so free?"

Rupert, without a word, sprang upon the man and bore him to theground. Then, seeing that there was an inner room, he lifted him, and ran him in there, the man being too astonished to offer theslightest resistance. Then Rupert locked him in, and taking downthe great key of the gate, which hung over the fireplace, went out, closed the great gate of the town, locked it on the outside, andthrew the key into the moat. Then he went off at a run and joinedthe marquis, who with Adele was waiting anxiously at the distancehe had asked him. 

"What have you been doing, Rupert?"

"I have just locked the great gate and thrown the key into themoat, " Rupert said. "The gate is a solid one, and they will not getit open tonight. If they are to pursue us, they must go round toone of the other gates, and then make a circuit to get into thisroad again. I have locked the porter up, and I don't suppose theywill find it out till they ride up, half an hour hence. They willtry for another quarter of an hour to open the gate, and it will beanother good half-hour's ride to get round by the road, so we haveover one hour's start. "

"Capital, indeed, " the marquis said, as they galloped forward. "Thedangers you have gone through have made you quick witted indeed, Rupert. 

"I see you have changed saddles. "

"Yes, your horse had been carrying double all day, so I thought itbetter to give a turn to the other. It is fortunate that we havebeen making short journeys each day, and that our horses arecomparatively fresh. "

"Why did you come out by the west gate, Rupert? The north was ourway. "

"Yes, our direct way, " Rupert said; "but I was thinking it overwhile waiting for you. You see with the start we have got and goodhorses, we might have kept ahead of them for a day; but with onehorse carrying double, there is no chance of us doing so for eightymiles. We must hide up somewhere to let the horses rest. They wouldmake sure that we were going to take ship, and would be certain tosend on straight to Nantes, so that we should be arrested when wearrive there. 

"As it is we can follow this road for thirty miles, as if going toLa Rochelle, and then strike up for a forty miles ride across toNantes. "

"Well thought of, indeed, " Monsieur de Pignerolles said. 

"Adele, this future lord and master of yours is as long headed ashe is long limbed. "

Adele laughed happily. The excitement, and the fresh air and thebrisk pace, had raised her spirits; and with her father and loverto protect her, she had no fear of the danger that threatened them. 

"With a ten miles start they ought not to overtake us till morning, Rupert. "

"No, " Rupert said, "supposing that we could keep on, but we cannot. The horses have done twenty-five miles today. They have had an hourand a half's rest, but we must not do more than as much farther, orwe shall run the risk of knocking them up. "

So they rode on at a fast trot for three hours. 

"Here is a little road to the right, " Rupert said. "Let us ride upthere, and stop at the first house we come to. "

It was a mere byroad, and as once out of the main road they werefor the present safe from pursuit, they now suffered the horses tobreak into a walk. It was not until two miles had been passed thatthey came to a small farmhouse. Rupert dismounted and knocked atthe door. 

"Who is there?" a voice shouted within. 

"Travellers, who want shelter and are ready to pay well for it. "

"No, no, " the voice said. "No travellers come along here, much lessat this time of night. Keep away. We are armed, I and my son, andit will be worse for you if you do not leave us alone. "

"Look here, good man, we are what I say, " Rupert said. "Open anupstairs casement and show a light, and you will see that we have alady with us. We are but two men. Look out, I say. We will pay youwell. We need shelter for the lady. "

There was more talking within, and then a heavy step was heardascending the stairs. Then a light appeared in an upper room. Thecasement opened and a long gun was first thrust out, then a faceappeared. 

The night was not a very dark one, and he was able to see the formof the horse, and of a rider with a female figure behind him. Sofar assured, he brought a light and again looked out. Theinspection was satisfactory, for he said:

"I will open the door directly. "

Soon Adele was sitting before a fire bright with logs freshlythrown on. The horses, still saddled, were placed in a shed with anample allowance of food. One of the sons, upon the promise of ahandsome reward, started to go a mile down the road, withinstructions to discharge his gun if he heard horsemen coming upit. 

In a quarter of an hour Adele, thoroughly fatigued with her day'sexertions, went to lie down on the bed ordinarily used by thefarmer's daughter. The marquis wrapped himself in his cloak and laydown in front of the fire, while Rupert took the first watchoutside. 

The night passed quietly, and at daybreak the next morning theparty were again in their saddles. Their intention was to ride bycross lanes parallel to the main road, and to come into that roadagain when they felt sure they were ahead of their pursuers, who, with riding nearly all night, would be certain to come to theconclusion that they were ahead of the fugitives, and would beginto search for some signs of where they had left the road. 

They instructed their hosts to make no secret of their having beenthere, but to tell the exact truth as to their time of arrival anddeparture, and to say that from their conversation they were goingsouth to La Rochelle. 

The windings of the country roads that they traversed added greatlyto the length of the journey, and the marquis proposed that theyshould strike at once across it for Nantes. Rupert, however, beggedhim to continue the line that they had chosen and to show at leastonce on the La Rochelle road, so as to lead their pursuers to theconclusion that it was to that town that they were bound. 

In the middle of the day they halted for two hours at a farmhouse, and allowed their horses to rest and feed, and then shifted thesaddles again, for Rupert had, since starting in the morning, runthe greater part of the way with his hand on the horse's saddle, sothat the animal was quite fresh when they reached their firsthalting place. 

They then rode on and came down into the La Rochelle road, at aspot near which they had heard that a wayside inn stood at whichthey could obtain refreshments. The instant they drew rein at thedoor, they saw from the face of the landlord that inquiries hadbeen made for them. 

"You had better not dismount, sir. These fellows may play you sometrick or other. I will bring some refreshments out, and learn thenews. "

So saying, Rupert leapt from his horse, took his pistols from theirholsters, placed one in his belt, and having cocked the other, wentup to the landlord. 

"Bring out five manchettes of bread, " he said, "and a few bottlesof your best wine; and tell me how long is it since men came hereasking if you had seen us?"

"This morning, about noon, " the man said. "Two gendarmes camealong, and a troop of soldiers passed an hour since; they came fromParthenay. "

"Did they say anything besides asking for us? Come, here is a louisto quicken your recollection. "

"They said to each other, as they drank their wine, that you couldnot have passed here yet, since you could not get fresh horses, asthey had done. Moreover, they said that troops from every place onthe road were out in search of you. "

"Call your man, and bid him bring out quickly the things I havenamed, " Rupert said. 

The man did so; and a lad, looking scared at the sight of Rupert'sdrawn pistol, brought out the wine and bread, and three drinkinghorns. 

"How far is it to La Rochelle?" Rupert asked. 

"Thirty-five miles. "

"Are there any byroads, by which we can make a detour, so as toavoid this main road, and so come down either from the north orsouth into the town?"

The landlord gave some elaborate directions. 

"Good!" Rupert said. "I think we shall get through yet. "

Then he broke up two of the portions of bread, and gave them to thehorses, removed the bits from their mouths, and poured a bottle ofwine down each of their throats; then bridled up and mounted, throwing two louis to the host, and saying:

"We can trust you to be secret as to our having been here, can wenot?"

The landlord swore a great oath that he would say nothing of theirhaving passed, and they then rode on. 

"That landlord had 'rogue' written on his face, " Adele said. 

"Yes, indeed, " Rupert said. "I warrant me by this time he has sentoff to the nearest post. Now we will take the first road to thenorth, and make for Nantes. It is getting dark now, and we must notmake more than another ten miles. These poor brutes have gonethirty already. "

Two hours' further riding at an easy pace brought them to avillage, where they were hospitably received at the house of themaire of the place. 

The start was again made early. 

"We must do our best today, " the marquis said. "We have afifty-five mile ride before us; and if the horses take us there, their work is done, so we can press them to the utmost. The troopswill have been marching all night along the road on which theinnkeeper set them; but by this morning they will begin to suspectthat they have been put on a false scent, and as likely as not willsend to Nantes. We must be first there, if possible. "

The horses, however, tired by their long journeys on the twopreceding days, flagged greatly during the last half of thejourney, and it was late in the afternoon before they came in sightof Nantes. At a slight rise half a mile from the town Rupert lookedback along the straight, level road on which they had ridden thelast few miles of the journey. 

"There is a body of men in the distance, marquis. A troop ofcavalry, I should say. They are a long way behind--three miles orso; and if they are in chase of us, their horses must be fagged;but in five-and-twenty minutes they will be here. "

They urged their weary steeds into a gallop as far as the town, andthen rode quietly along the streets into an inn yard. Here theydismounted in a leisurely way. 

"Take the horses round to the stable, rub them down and give themfood, " the marquis said to the ostler who came out. 

Then turning to the host, he said:

"A sitting room, with a good fire. Two bedrooms for myself and mydaughter, a bedroom for my servant. Prepare a meal at once. We havea friend to see before we enter. "

So saying, he turned with his daughter, as if to retrace his stepsup the street; but on reaching the first side street, turned, andthen, by another street, made his way down to the river, Rupertfollowing closely behind. 

"There is La Belle Jeanne, " the marquis exclaimed. "That isfortunate. The captain said he should be returning in a week or tendays, so I hope he has his cargo on board, and will be open to makea start at once. "

Chapter 26: The Siege of Tournai. 

In a few minutes they were alongside the lugger. 

"Maitre Nicolay! Maitre Nicolay!" the marquis shouted. 

"Holloa!" and a head showed up the companion. 

On seeing who it was, the speaker emerged. 

"It is you, Maitre Perrot. "

"Have you your cargo on board?"

"Every barrel, " said the skipper. "We sail tomorrow morning. "

"I will give you two hundred and fifty louis if you will sail inten minutes, and as much more if you land us safely in England. "

"Really?"

"Really. "

"It is a bargain. Holloa! Pierre! Etienne!"

Two lads ran up from below. 

"Run to the wine shops on the quay, fetch the crew. Just whisper intheir ears. Say I am casting off, that no man must wait to saygoodbye to his wife, and that each down in five minutes will haveas many louis, and that in ten I sail, if with only half the crew. Run! Run!"

The two boys set off at full speed. 

"I fear ten minutes will be impossible, Maitre Perrot; but all thatcan be done, shall. Is ten absolutely necessary?"

"Twenty may do, Maitre Nicolay; but if we are not off by that time, we shall not be able to go at all. "

"You are pursued?"

"Yes. In half an hour at latest a troop of soldiers will be hereafter us. "

Maitre Nicolay looked at the sky. 

"There is wind enough when we once get well beyond the town; butunless we get a good start they will overtake us in boats. Is it astate affair, Maitre Perrot? For I own to you I don't like runningmy head against the state. "

"I will tell you frankly, captain. I am the Marquis de Pignerolles. This is my daughter. The king wants her to marry a man she does notlike, and I am running away with her, to save her from being shutup in a convent till she agrees. "

"And this one?" Maitre Nicolay said, pointing to Rupert. 

"That is the gentleman whom both I and my daughter like better thanthe king's choice. "

"That is all right, " Maitre Nicolay said. "There is no hangingmatter in that. But look, sir; if you should be late, and they comeup with us in boats, or warn the forts at the entrance, mind, wecannot fight; you must send us all below, with your swords andpistols, you see, and batten us down, so that we shan't beresponsible, else I could never show my face in a French portagain. 

"Ah! Here come four of the men; yes, and two more after them. Thatis good. 

"Now, " he said, when the men came up, "not a question, not a word. There is money, but it has to be earned. Now set to work. Loosenthe sails, and get all ready for casting off. "

In a quarter of an hour from the moment the party had reached theBelle Jeanne eight men had arrived, and although these were buthalf her crew, the captain, who had been throwing himself heart andsoul in the work, declared that he would wait for no more. The lastrope was thrown off, and the lugger dropped out into the stream. 

It was running rapidly out; and as the wind caught the sails, theBelle Jeanne began to move, standing down towards the sea. 

During the time the lugger had been prepared for sea the passengershad remained below, so as not to attract the attention of thelittle crowd of sailors whom the sudden departure had assembled onthe quay. But they now came up on deck. Scarcely were they in themiddle of the stream, and the sails had fairly gathered way on her, when Rupert exclaimed, "There they are!" as a party of horsemanrode down on to the quay, now nearly a quarter of a mile away. 

Then a faint shout came across the water, followed by a musketshot, the ball splashing in the water a little way astern. The menlooked at each other and at their captain. 

"Look here, lads, I will tell you the truth about this matter; andI know that, as men of La Vendee, you will agree with me. Thisgentleman who crossed with us before is a noble, and the king wantsthis lady, his daughter, to marry a man she does not like. Thefather agrees with her; and he and her fiance, this gentleman here, have run away with her, to prevent her being locked up. Now we arebound, as true Vendeans, to assist them; and besides, they aregoing to pay handsomely. Each of you will get ten louis if we landthem safe in England. 

"But you know we cannot resist the law; so we must let thesegentlemen, with their swords and pistols, drive us below, do yousee? And then we shan't be responsible if the 'Jeanne' does notheave to when ordered. 

"Now let us make a bit of a scuffle; and will you fire a shot ortwo, gentlemen? They will be watching us with glasses from theshore, and will see that we make a fight for it. "

The sailors entered into the spirit of the thing, and a mock fighttook place. The marquis and Rupert flashed their swords and firedtheir pistols, the crew being driven below, and the hatch put onabove them. 

The fugitives had time to look around. Two boats laden withsoldiers had put out, and were rowing after them. The marquis tookthe helm. 

"The wind is freshening, and I think it will be a gale beforemorning, Rupert; but they are gaining upon us. I fear they willovertake us. "

"I don't think they will get on board if they do, sir, " Rupertsaid. "Had not Adele better sit down on deck under shelter of thebulwarks? For they keep on firing, and a chance shot might hither. "

"It is no more likely to hit me than papa or you, Rupert. "

"No more likely, my dear, " her father said; "but we must run therisk, and you need not. Besides, if we are anxious about you, weshall not be so well able to attend to what we have to do. "

Adele sat down by the bulwark, but presently said:

"If they come up close, papa, I might take the helm, if you show mewhich way to hold it. I could do it sitting down on deck, and youcould help Rupert keep them off. "

"Your proposal is a very good one, Adele, and it pleases me much tosee you so cool and steady. "

The bullets were now whistling past the lugger, sometimes strikingher sails, sometimes with a sharp tap hitting her hull or mast. 

"We may as well sit down out of sight till the time comes forfighting, Rupert, " the marquis said. "Our standing up does no good, and only frightens this little girl. "

The firing ceased when they sat down, as it was clearly a waste ofpowder and ball continuing. Rupert from time to time looked overthe stern. 

"The first boat is not more than fifty yards behind, the otherthirty or forty behind it. They gain on us very slowly, but I thinkthey will catch us. "

"Then we must do our best, Rupert. We have each our pistols, and Ithink we might begin to fire at the rowers. "

"The pistols are not much good at that distance, sir. My idea is tolet them come alongside; then I will heave that cask of water downinto the boat, and there will be an end of it. "

"That water cask!" the marquis said. "That is an eighteen galloncask. It is as much as we can lift it, much less heave it throughthe air. "

"I can do it, never fear, " Rupert said. "You forget my exercises atLoches, and as a miller's man. 

"My only fear, " he said in a low voice, "is that they may shoot meas I come to the side with it. For that reason we had better beginto fire. I don't want to kill any of them, but just to draw theirfire. Then, just as they come alongside put a cap and a cloak onthat stick, and raise them suddenly. Any who are still loaded aresure to fire the instant it appears. "

The marquis nodded, and they began to fire over the stern, justraising their heads, and instantly lowering them. The boats againbegan to fire heavily. Not a man in the boats was hit, for neitherof those in the lugger took aim. The men cheered, and rowedlustily, and soon the boat was within ten yards of the lugger, coming up to board at the side. Rupert went to the water barrel, and rolled it to the bulwarks at the point towards which the boatwas making. The marquis stooped behind the bulwarks, a few pacesdistant, with the dummy. 

"Now!" Rupert said, stooping over the barrel, as the boat made adash at the side. 

The marquis lifted the dummy, and five or six muskets weresimultaneously discharged. Then a cry of amazement and horrorarose, as Rupert, with the barrel poised above his head, rearedhimself above the bulwarks. He bent back to gain impetus, and thenhurled the barrel into the boat as she came within a yard of theside of the lugger. 

There was a wild shout, a crash of timber, and in an instant theshattered boat was level with the water, and the men were holdingon, or swimming for their lives. A minute later the other boat wason the spot, and the men were at work picking up their comrades. Bythe time all were in, she was only an inch or two out of the water, and there was only room for two men to pull; and the last thingthose on board the lugger saw of her in the gathering darkness, shewas slowly making her way towards shore. 

Now that all immediate danger was at an end, the marquis took thetiller, and Rupert lifted the hatchway. 

"The captain and two of the crew may come on deck if they promiseto behave well, " he said. 

There was a shout of laughter, and all the sailors pressed up, eager to know how the pursuit had been shaken off. When Rupert toldthem simply that he had tossed one of the water barrels into one ofthe boats and staved it, the men refused to believe him; and it wasnot until he took one of the carronades, weighing some five hundredweight, from its carriage, and lifted it above his head as if tohurl it overboard, that their doubts were changed into astonishment. 

"I suppose our danger is not over, captain?" the marquis asked. 

"No, we have the forts at the mouth of the river to pass, but weshall be there before it is light. They will send off a horsemanwhen they get back to the town, but they will not be there for sometime, and the wind is rising fast. I hope we shall be throughbefore they get news of what has taken place. In any case, at thespeed we shall be going through the water in another hour or two, no rowboat could stop us. "

"I think, Captain Nicolay, it would be as well for you to keep onlyas many men as you absolutely want on deck, so that you can say weonly allowed two or three up, and kept watch over you with loadedpistols. "

"It would be better, perhaps, " Maitre Nicolay said. "There is sureto be a nice row about it, and it is always as well to have as fewlies as possible to tell. 

"Perhaps mademoiselle will like to go below. My cabin is ready forher, and I have told the boy to get supper for us all. "

The captain's prediction about the rising wind was correct, and inanother hour the Belle Jeanne was tearing down the river at a rateof speed which, had the road from Nantes to the forts been nolonger than that by water, would have rendered the chance of anyhorseman arriving before it slight indeed; but the river waswinding, and although they calculated that they had gained an hourand a half start, Captain Nicolay acknowledged that it would be aclose thing. Long ere the forts were reached Adele was fast asleepbelow, while her father and Rupert paced the deck anxiously. 

The night was not a dark one. The moon shone out at times brightand clear between the hurrying clouds. 

"There are the forts, " Maitre Nicolay said. "The prospect ishopeful, for I do not see a light. "

The hands were all ordered below as they neared the forts, MaitreNicolay himself taking the helm. 

All was dark and silent as they approached, and as La Belle Jeanneswept past them like a shadow, and all was still, a sigh of reliefburst from the marquis and Rupert. Five minutes later the windbrought down the sound of a drum, a rocket soared into the air, anda minute or two later lights appeared in every embrasure of theforts on both sides. 

"It has been a near thing, " the marquis said; "we have only won byfive minutes. "

Three minutes later came a flash, followed by the roar of a gun, and almost at the same moment a shot struck the water, fifty yardsahead of them on their beam. 

"We are nearly a mile away already, " the captain said. "It is fiftyto one against their crippling us by this light, though they mayknock some holes in our sails, and perhaps splinter our timbers alittle. 

"Ah! Just what I thought, here come the chasse marees, " and hepointed to two vessels which had lain close under the shadow of theforts, and which were now hoisting sail. 

"It is lucky that they are in there, instead of cruising outside, as usual. I suppose they saw the gale coming, and ran in for aquiet night. "

The forts were now hard at work, and the balls fell thickly around. One or two went through the sails, but none touched her hull orspars, and in another ten minutes she was so far away that theforts ceased firing. 

By this time, however, the chasse marees were under full sail, andwere rapidly following in pursuit. La Belle Jeanne had, however, astart of fully a mile and a half. 

"How do those craft sail with yours?" Rupert asked. 

"In ordinary weather the 'Jeanne' could beat them, though they arefast boats; but they are heavier than we are, and can carry theirsail longer; besides, our being underhanded is against us. It willbe a close race, monsieur. It will be too rough when we are fairlyout for them to use their guns. But the best thing that can happenfor us is that there may be an English cruiser not far off. I musthave the hands up, and take in some sail; she will go just as fast, for she has too much on to be doing her best now we are in the opensea. 

"Now, gentlemen, I advise you to lie down for an hour or two. Iwill call you if they gain much upon us. "

It was morning before the voyagers awoke, and made their way ondeck. They looked round, but no sail was in sight, only an expanseof foaming sea and driving cloud. The captain was on deck. 

"I suspect they have given it up and run back, " he said; "and nofools either. It is not weather for anyone to be out who has achoice in the matter. But the 'Jeanne' is a good sea boat, and hasbeen out in worse weather than this. Not but that it is a big gale, but it is from the north, and the land shelters us a bit. If itkeeps on like this, I shall lie-to a few hours. The sea will betremendous when we get beyond Ushant. "

For three days the gale blew furiously, and the "Jeanne" lay-to. Then the storm broke, and the wind veered round to the south, andLa Belle Jeanne flew along on her way towards England. 

It was at a point on the Hampshire coast, near Lymington, that shewas to run her cargo; and on the fifth day after leaving the rivershe was within sight of land. They lowered their sails, and lay afew miles off land until nightfall, and then ran in again. Twolights on the shore, one above the other, told that the coast wasclear; and the boats were quickly lowered. The marquis, who hadcome well provided with gold to meet all emergencies, handed overto Maitre Nicolay fifty pounds over the sum agreed on, and in a fewminutes the travellers set foot on shore. 

Six days later, a post chaise brought them to the door ofWindthorpe Chace, where Madame Holliday and the colonel stood onthe steps to welcome Rupert's future wife. The very day after theirreturn, Rupert mooted to the marquis the subject of an earlymarriage, but the latter said at once:

"I must first take a place for Adele to be married from. Mademoiselle Adele de Pignerolles must not be married like thedaughter of a little bourgeois. Moreover, Rupert, it is alreadynear the end of the year. In three months you will be setting outto join your regiment again. It would be cruel to Adele for you tomarry her before the war is over, or until you at any rate havedone with soldiering. You tell me that you have gone throughenough, and that the next campaign shall be your last. At any rateyou can obtain a year's leave after nine years of campaigning. Sobe it. When you return at the end of next year's campaign you shallfind all ready, and I will answer for it that Adele will not keepyou waiting. It is but a fortnight since you were affianced to eachother. You can well wait the year. "

And so it was arranged, for Rupert himself saw that it would becruel to expose Adele to the risk of being made a widow after a fewweeks only of married life. 

The winter passed very quietly and happily. The marquis was alwaystalking of taking a house, but Adele joined her voice with those ofthe others in saying that it would be cruel indeed for him to takeher away from the Chace until it was time for Rupert to start forthe war again. 

In the middle of March he received orders to join his regiment, aslarge numbers of recruits had been sent out, and every officer wasrequired at his post. 

During the winter of 1708, Marlborough had laboured strenuously toobtain a peace which would satisfy all parties. Louis offered greatconcessions, which the duke urged strongly should be accepted; butthe English and Dutch wanted terms so severe and humiliating thatLouis would not accept them, and both sides prepared for a greatfinal struggle. 

The King of France addressed an appeal to his people, telling themthat he had offered to make the greatest possible sacrifices toobtain peace for them, but that the enemy demanded terms whichwould place France at their mercy. He therefore appealed to theirpatriotism to come forward to save the country. The peopleresponded readily to the summons, and Marshal Villars took thefield in the spring with 110, 000 men, a force just equal to that ofthe allies. 

The French had taken up a position of such extraordinary strength, that it was hopeless for the allies to attempt to attack. His leftwing was covered by the stream of Roubaix; his centre by the marshof Cambriu; his right by the canal between Douai and Lille; andthis naturally strong position had been so strengthened byartificial inundations, ditches, abattis, and earthworks, as to bepractically impregnable. 

Marlborough and Eugene made, however, as if they would attack, andVillars called to him as many men as could be spared from thegarrisons round. The allies then by a sudden night march arrivedbefore Tournai, and at once commenced its investment. Tournai wasan immensely strong town, but its garrison was weak. The heavyartillery was brought up from Ghent, and on the 6th of July theapproaches were commenced; and on the 29th of that month, thegovernor, finding that the allies were gradually winning fort afterfort, and that Villars made no movement to relieve him, surrenderedthe town, and retired into the citadel, which was then besieged. 

This was one of the most terrible sieges ever undertaken, for notonly were the fortifications enormously strong, but beneath eachbastion and outwork, and far extending beyond them, an immensenumber of galleries had been driven for mines. At all timessoldiers, even the bravest, have found it difficult to withstandthe panic brought about by the explosion of mines, and by thatunderground warfare in which bravery and strength were alikeunavailing, and where the bravest as well as the most cowardly wereliable at any moment to be blown into the air, or smotheredunderground. The dangers of this service, at all times great; wereimmensely aggravated by the extraordinary pains taken by those whohad constructed the fortifications to prepare for subterraneanwarfare by the construction of galleries. 

The miners frequently met underground, breaking into each other'sgalleries. Sometimes the troops, mistaking friend for foe, foughtwith each other. Sometimes whole companies entered mines by mistakeat the very moment that they were primed for explosion. They wereoften drowned, suffocated with smoke, or buried alive. Sometimesscores were blown into the air. 

It was not surprising that even the hearts of the allied troopswere appalled at the new and extraordinary dangers which they hadto face at the siege of Tournai; and the bravest were indeedexposed to the greatest danger. The first to mount a breach, toeffect a lodgment in an outwork, to enter a newly discovered mine, was sure to perish. First there was a low rumbling noise, then theearth heaved, and whole companies were scattered with a frightfulexplosion. 

On the 5th of August, a sally made by the besieged was bravelyrepulsed, and the besiegers, pressing closely upon them, effected alodgment; but immediately a mine was sprung, and 150 men blown intothe air. 

On the 20th, the besieged blew down a wall which overhung a sap, and two officers and thirty-four soldiers were killed. 

On the 23rd a mine sixty feet long and twenty feet broad wasdiscovered, just as a whole battalion of Hanoverian troops hadtaken up their place above it. All were congratulating themselveson the narrow escape, when a mine placed below that they haddiscovered exploded, burying all in the upper mine in the ruins. 

On the 25th, 300 men posted in a large mine which had beendiscovered, were similarly destroyed by the explosion of anothermine below it; and the same night 100 men posted in the ditch werekilled by a wall being blown out upon them. 

In resisting the attack upon one side of the fortress only, thirty-eight mines were sprung in twenty-six days, almost every onewith fatal effect. It is no detriment to the courage of the troopsto say, that they shrank appalled before such sudden and terrible amode of warfare, and Marlborough and Eugene in person visited thetrenches and braved the dangers in order to encourage the men. 

At last, on the 3rd of September, the garrison, reduced to 3000men, surrendered; and were permitted to march out with the honoursof war, and to return to France on the promise not to serve again. 

This siege cost the allies 5000 men. 

Chapter 27: Malplaquet, and the End of the War. 

During all the time that the allies had been employed upon thesiege of Tournai, Marshal Villars had laboured to form animpregnable line of entrenchments, barring all farther advance. Marlborough, however, a day or two previously to the fall ofTournai, sent off the Prince of Hesse Cassel, who by a rapid andmost masterly march fell upon the French lines, at a part where theFrench had no expectation of there being an enemy within thirtymiles of them. No opposition was made, and the prince marchingrapidly to the plateau of Jemappes, invested Mons on the Frenchside. The rest of the army followed. The effect caused throughoutFrance, and indeed through Europe, by the success of this masterlymovement, was immense; and it was evident that a great battle wasat hand. 

Villars moved his army rapidly up. A detachment of Eugene's troopswere left to watch Mons, and the allied army, 93, 000 strong, advanced to meet them, and on the night of the 7th bivouacked in aline three miles long, and five from that occupied by the French. Marshal Villars had with him 95, 000 men. The forces therefore wereas nearly as possible equal; but the allies had 105 guns, againsteighty of the French. 

The position taken up by Villars was of great natural strength;being a plateau, interspersed with woods and intersected withstreams, and elevated from a hundred and fifty to two hundred feetabove the meadowland of the Trouville, across which theirassailants must pass. Malplaquet stood on this plateau. On theslopes from the plateau to the plain, the woods were extremelythick, and the only access to the plateau, for troops, were twoclearings cut through the woods, known as the Trouees de laLouviere, and d'Aulnoit. 

On the morning of the 8th, when the French definitely took up theirposition, Marlborough and Eugene were in favour of making aninstant attack, before the French could add to the great naturalstrength of their position by entrenchments. The Dutch deputies, however, were altogether opposed to an assault on so formidable afront. Finally a compromise was adopted--a compromise which, as isoften the case, was the very worst course which could have beenadopted. The army should neither fall back, as the Dutch wished;nor attack at once, as Marlborough desired. It was resolved not toabandon the siege of Mons, and to attack the enemy if they wouldnot take the offensive; but to wait until Saint Ghislain, whichcommanded a passage on the Haine, was taken; and until twenty-sixbattalions on the march from Tournai arrived. 

It was two days before these conditions were fulfilled; and Villarshad used these two precious days in throwing up a series ofimmensely strong works. The heights he occupied formed a concavesemicircle, enfilading on all sides the little plain of Malplaquet, and this semicircle now bristled with redoubts, palisades, abattis, and stockades; while the two trouees, or openings, by which it waspresumed that the allies would endeavour to force an entrance, wereso enfiladed by cross batteries as to be well-nigh unassailable. Half the French army by turns had laboured ceaselessly at theworks, during the two days which the cowardly folly of the Dutchdeputies had given them; and the result was the works resembledrather the fortifications of a fortress, than ordinary field works. Marlborough and Eugene had seen from hour to hour the progress ofthese formidable works, and resolved to mask their front attack bya strong demonstration on the enemy's rear. The troops coming upfrom Tournai, under General Withers, were ordered not to join themain army; but to cross the Haine at Saint Ghislain, and to attackthe extreme left of the enemy at the farm of La Folie. BaronSchulemberg was to attack the left flank of the entrenchments inthe wood of Taisniere, with forty of Eugene's battalions, supportedby as many cannon; while Count Lottum was to attack the right flankof the wood with twenty-two battalions. The rest of the army was toattack in front; but it was from Eugene's attack in the wood ofTaisniere that success was chiefly hoped. 

At three o'clock on the morning of the 11th the men were got underarms, divine service was performed at the head of each regiment, and then the troops marched to the posts assigned to them in theattack. Both armies were confident, the French enthusiastic. 

The allies relied on their unbroken series of victories. Never oncesince the war begun had they suffered defeat; and with Eugene aswell as Marlborough with them, they felt confident of their powerto carry a position which, even to the eye of the least instructedsoldier, was yet formidable in the extreme. 

The French were confident in being commanded by their best and mostpopular generals, Villars and Boufflers. They were strong in theenthusiasm which the king's appeal had communicated to the wholenation, and they considered it absolutely impossible for any enemyto carry the wonderful series of works that they had erected. 

At half-past seven all was ready, and the fog which had hithertohung over the low ground cleared up, and the two armies came intoview of each other, and the artillery on both sides opened a heavyfire. The whole line advanced; but the left was halted for awhile, while Count Lottum, with his twenty-two battalions formed in threelines, attacked the right of the wood of Taisniere; andSchulemberg, with whom was Eugene himself, attacked their left. 

Without firing a single shot, Schulemberg's men marched through thestorm of grape which swept them until within twenty paces of theentrenchments, when the musketry fire of the French troops was soterrible that the attacking columns recoiled two hundred yards;where they were steadied, and brought back to the charge by theheroic efforts of Eugene, who exposed himself in front of the line. 

While this conflict was raging, some Austrian battalions which hadformed the extreme right of Schulemberg's corps, but had beenunable to advance, owing to a deep marsh, stole round unperceivedinto the northeastern angle of the wood of Taisniere, and were soonin conflict with the French. Lottum's division had, with immensebravery, crossed a deep morass under a tremendous fire, and stormeda portion of the entrenchments; but Villars, who was directly inrear, led on a fresh brigade, who drove back the assailants. Marlborough then charged at the head of d'Auvergne's cavalry, andsome of Lottum's battalion again forced their way in. 

Meanwhile Withers was quietly making his way through the wood fromLa Folie, and had made considerable progress before the Frenchcould muster in force at this point. As this threatened the rear ofhis front position, Villars fell back from the entrenchments infront of the wood, and took up the second and far stronger positionhe had prepared on the high ground. 

On the left an even more desperate fight had been raging. ThePrince of Orange commanded here. The prince was full of courage andimpetuosity. The troops under him were Dutch, or auxiliaries in theDutch pay, among them a Scotch brigade under the Marquis ofTullibardin. The corps advanced in the most gallant manner, theScotch and Dutch rivalling each other in bravery. Two lines of theenemy's entrenchments were carried at the bayonet; and had therebeen a reserve at hand, the battle would have been won at thispoint. 

But the prince had thrown his whole force into the attack, and hisforty battalions were opposed by seventy French battalions, whilethe assailants were swept by the fire from the high ground. Tullibardin and General Spau were killed, and the assailants, fighting with extraordinary obstinacy, were yet driven back, with aloss of 3000 killed and twice as many wounded. The French salliedout to attack them, but the Prince of Hesse Cassel charged themwith his cavalry, and drove them back into their works. 

The news of the terrible slaughter and repulse on the right broughtEugene and Marlborough from the centre and left, where all wasgoing well. Reserves were brought up, and the battle restored. 

News now came that Villars, alarmed at the progress made on hisleft by Withers, had withdrawn the Irish brigade and some other ofhis best troops from his centre, to drive back the allies' right. 

Eugene galloped off with all haste to lead the right and hurry themforward, while Marlborough directed Lord Orkney to attack theweakened French centre with all his strength, and ordered thecavalry to follow on the heels of the infantry. The fight on theright was fierce indeed, for here Villars and Eugene alike ledtheir men. Both were wounded; Villars in the knee. He refused toleave the field, but insisted on being placed in a chair where hecould see the battle and cheer on his men. The agony he suffered, however, and the great loss of blood, weakened him so that at lasthe fainted, and was carried off the field, the command devolving onMarshal Boufflers. 

Eugene was wounded in the head. In vain his staff pressed him toretire in order that the wound might be dressed. 

"If I am to die here, " he said, "of what use to dress the wounds?If I survive, it will be time enough in the evening. "

So with the blood streaming over his shoulders, he kept his placeat the head of his troops, who, animated by his example andheroism, rushed forward with such impetuosity that the works werecarried. 

In the centre an even more decisive advantage had been gained. LordOrkney made the attack with such vigour, that the entrenchments, weakened by the forces which had been withdrawn, were carried; andthe horse, following close behind, broke through the openings ofthe works, and spread themselves over the plateau, cutting down thefugitives. The guns in the works were wheeled round, and opened atremendous fire on the dense masses of the French drawn up behindother parts of the entrenchments. 

Thrown into confusion by the fire, the French began to waver, andMarlborough gave the order for the great battery of forty guns inthe allied centre to advance. These advanced up the hill, passedthrough the entrenchments, and opened a fire right and left uponthe French. 

Although the French still strove gallantly, the battle was nowvirtually over. The centre was pierced, the right turned, andBoufflers prepared to cover the necessary retreat with his cavalry. With 2000 picked horsemen of the royal horse guards, he charged theallied cavalry when scattered and blown by their pursuit, and drovethem back; but was himself repulsed by the fire of Orkney'sinfantry, and fell back, leaving half his force dead on the plain. 

Again and again Boufflers brought up fresh cavalry, and executedthe most desperate charges to cover the retreat of his infantry, who were now falling back along the whole line, as the Prince ofOrange, benefiting by the confusion, had now carried theentrenchments on the French left. Boufflers formed his infantryinto three great masses, and fell back in good order in thedirection of Bavai. 

Such was the victory of Malplaquet. A victory indeed, but won atsuch a cost that a few more such successes would have been ruin. The allies had gained the French position, had driven the enemyfrom the field, and had prevented the raising of the siege of Mons, the great object of the French; but beyond that their advantage wasslight, for the enemy retired in good order, and were ready to havefought again, if attacked, on the following day. 

The allies captured fourteen guns and twenty-five standards. TheFrench carried off thirty-two standards, principally Dutch. TheFrench lost 14, 000 men in killed and wounded, the allies fully20, 000. 

The French historians have done full justice to the extraordinarybravery of the allied troops. One of their officers wrote after thebattle:

"Eugene and Marlborough ought to be well satisfied with us on thatday, since up to that time they had not met with a resistanceworthy of them. They may now say with justice that nothing canstand before them; and indeed what should be able to stay the rapidprogress of those heroes, if an army of 100, 000 men of the besttroops, strongly posted between two woods, trebly entrenched, andperforming their duty as well as any brave men could do, were notable to stop them one day? Will you not then own with me that theysurpass all the heroes of former ages?"

The siege of Mons was now undertaken, and after a month's gallantdefence, fell, and the two armies then went into winter quarters, there remaining now only the fortress of Valenciennes between theallies and Paris. 

Rupert Holliday was not present with the army at the siege of Mons. He had distinguished himself greatly in the desperate cavalry fightwhich took place upon the plateau after the British infantry hadforced their way in. More than once, fighting in front of hisregiment, he had been cut off and surrounded when the alliedcavalry gave way before the valiant charge of the French cavalry;but each time his strength, his weight, and the skill with which hewielded the long, heavy sword he carried, enabled him to cut hisway through the enemy's ranks, and to rejoin his regiment. He hadnot, however, come off scatheless, having received several severesabre cuts. Hugh had also been wounded, and Rupert readily obtainedleave to retire to England to be cured of his wounds, the Duke ofMarlborough raising him to the rank of colonel on the field ofbattle. 

He had, during the campaign, received many letters from Adele, whotold him that the marquis had taken a house; but to each inquirythat Rupert made as to its locality, she either did not answer thequestion at all, or returned evasive answers. All he knew was thatshe was staying at the Chace, and that the marquis was away, seeingto the renovation of his house. 

It was not until Rupert returned that he obtained the clue to thislittle mystery. The Marquis de Pignerolles had bought the Haugh, formerly the property of Sir William Brownlow, and intended theestate as a dowry for Adele. The Pignerolles estate was indeed verylarge; and two or three years of his savings were sufficient, notonly to purchase the estate, but to add to and redecorate andrefurnish the house. 

Madame Holliday handed over to Rupert the title deeds of the wholeof the Windthorpe estate owned by her, as the income from hersavings was more than enough to maintain her at Windthorpe Chace. One only condition the marquis exacted with the dowry, which wasthat the combined estates should, after Rupert finally came intopossession of the Chace, be known not as the Haugh, but asWindthorpe Chace. 

"It was at Windthorpe Chace, my dear Rupert, that you first knewand drew sword for Adele, and the name is dear to her as to you. Itis only right that I should unite the two estates, since Iprevented their union some ten years ago. I am in treaty now for asmall estate two miles on the other side of Derby, so that, untilthe king either forgives me or dies, I shall be near you. "

The wedding did not take place quite so soon as Rupert had hoped, for his wounds were more severe than he had at first been willingto allow, and it was not until the last week of the year that thewedding took place. 

For many years after the event the marriage of Rupert Holliday withMademoiselle de Pignerolles was talked of as the most brilliantevent which had taken place in the county of Derby during thememory of man. The great Duke of Marlborough himself, and hisduchess, came down to be present at the ceremony. From Holland cameover Major Dillon, and four or five others of the officers of the5th dragoons. Lord Fairholm was also there, and Hugh was not theleast welcome to Rupert of those assembled at the wedding. 

Hugh was still a private, for although he could long ere this havebeen a sergeant had he chosen, he had always refused promotion, asit would have removed him from service as Rupert's orderly. 

There was also present at the wedding a young Dutch lady engaged tobe married to Major Dillon, and her father. Rupert had written overto say how glad he should be to see them at his marriage, but thathe could not think of asking them to come so far. Mynheer van Duykhad, however, written to say that he and his daughter wouldcertainly come, for that regarding Rupert as a son it would beextraordinary indeed for him to be absent. And so they arrived atthe Chace two days before the wedding, and on the morning beforegoing to church he presented Rupert with a cheque which simplyastounded the young soldier. 

At first, indeed, he absolutely refused to accept it. The merchant, however, insisted so strongly upon it--urging that his own wealthwas so large, that, as he had only Maria to inherit it, it wasreally beyond his wants, or even his power to spend; and that hehad, ever since Rupert saved Maria from the attempts of Sir RichardFulke, which but for him must have succeeded, regarded him as hisadopted son--Rupert saw that his refusal would really give pain andtherefore, with warm gratitude, he accepted the cheque, whose valueexceeded that of the united estates of the Haugh and the Chace. Maria brought a magnificent set of jewels for Adele--not indeedthat that young lady in any way required them, for the marquis hadhad all her mother's jewels, which were superb, reset for theoccasion. They were married first at the Roman Catholic chapel atDerby, for Adele was of course a Catholic, and then at the churchin the village of Windthorpe. After which there was a great dinner, and much rejoicing and festivity at it. 

Rupert Holliday went no more to the wars. He obtained leave toreside on his estate for a year. That year, 1710, little was donein Flanders. The duke's enemies at home had now gained the upperhand, and he was hampered in every way. The allies, seeing that achange of government was imminent in England, and that the newparty would in all probability make peace at any cost and leavethem to themselves, carried on quiet negotiations with France; andso throughout the summer no great battle took place, although theallies gained several material advantages. 

In the following year envy, intrigue, and a woman's spite, conquered. Godolphin fell, and the new ministry hastened to makethe most disgraceful peace recorded in the annals of the history ofthis country. By it the allies of England were virtually deserted, and the fruits of ten years of struggle and of victory for the mostpart abandoned. Marlborough refused to sign the disgraceful peaceof Utrecht and, exiled and disgraced, lived quietly on thecontinent until the death of Anne, a living monument of nationalinjustice. When George the First ascended the throne, the hero wasrecalled, and remained the war minister of the country until withina year or two of his death, honoured and loved by the people forwhom he had done so much. 

There is little more to tell about Rupert Holliday. His grandfatherlived until past ninety years of age, and Madame Holliday diedsuddenly a few weeks after her father in law. Rupert was now one ofthe largest landowners in the country, and was one of the mostpopular men. The home farm round the Chace was held for generationsby the Parsons, for Hugh married not many months after his master. 

At the death of Louis, the Marquis de Pignerolles passed over againto France, and there, at least when England and France were atpeace, Colonel Rupert Holliday and his wife paid him long visits. As his daughter had married a foreigner she could not inherit theestates, which went to a distant relation; but at the death of themarquis, at a good old age, he left a fortune to his daughter, which enabled her husband still further to extend his estates. HadRupert desired it, he could have been raised to the peerage, but hepreferred remaining one of the wealthiest private gentlemen inEngland. 

From time to time they received visits from Major Dillon and hiswife, both of whom were great favourites with the young Hollidays. Between Rupert and Hugh a real affection prevailed all throughtheir lives, and the latter was never so happy as when the childrenfirst, and, years after, the grandchildren, of Rupert and Adelecame down to the farm to eat cake, drink syllabub, and listen towonderful tales about the doings of the "Cornet of Horse. "