Page:Milady at Arms (1937).pdf/245

 "No horses?" Captain Camp frowned. "Well," he made a dismissing gesture, "ye must ne'ertheless leave the Town, mistress, before the fighting commences. Walk toward Caleb Wheeler's house—he doth have a horse or two to spare—he hath offered me the use o' them, an needful. An no one be home—indeed, 'tis doubtful, now, for his family be fled to the Mountain and he will be wi' his company—go straight around to his barn and there borrow two steeds and depart at once!"

"Ye mean Captain Wheeler, who did complete that fine new house last year on the market lane?" inquired Sally.

Nathaniel Camp nodded impatiently. "Aye, mistress. Haste ye, now!"

Sally made another curtsey; but Captain Camp, approached by a dispatch rider at that moment, was already immersed deep in the papers handed to him and did not even nod farewell.

As they stepped out into the misty dawn, the girl drew a deep breath and gazed around her. How queer that such beauty of landscape should be but the calm before the storm, for the trees were etched against their hazy background with an almost unearthly beauty, and the silver fog that blew in from the river seemed to enfold her like peace itself!

She and Zenas paused at the tavern well long enough to splash some cold water over their hands and faces and to drink deep of it. Then, glancing