Page:Lady Barbarity; a romance (IA ladybarbarityrom00snai).pdf/141

 one in the kitchen see you procure these things. They will say I have a diabetes else."

"'Deed, no, my lady," she replied; and then in a confidential whisper, "the soldiers are not yet begun their search. I have had a word with Corporal Flickers, who is on duty. He hath told me privily that by the Captain's orders their investigation is to be postponed till four o'clock, as they are in such urgent need of food and sleep."

"And what gave you Corporal Flickers for this news?" says I, frowning at her.

Emblem puckered up her lips and looked puritanically prim.

"Only a look," says she demurely, "and a very indifferent imitation of one of your own, ma'am."

Meantime the condemned rebel had swallowed half the pigeon-pie and drunk a pint of ale. I watched him in polite surprise, and the thought came to me that if his fighting was as fierce as was his appetite, six men would be none too many to retake him. Having at last dispatched his meal, he said:

"Madam, do you know that I feel quite wonderfully better? Fit for stratagems and devilry, in fact. And, lord knows, they'll be required."

"They will, indeed,"says I. "But stratagems—you talk of stratagems, now let me think of 'em."

I seldom lacked for a certain fertility in inventions. I began to put it to the test. To sit tamely down and watch this fine lad perish was by no means what I was prepared to do. Having pledged myself