Page:Milady at Arms (1937).pdf/257

 "Stay ye here," said Zenas earnestly, "and we will tell Master Wheeler, an we see him, o' thy plight, and he will help ye!"

"Mais oui—but yes, I intend to remain," answered the other, with an air of surprise. He rose politely, however, and made a deep bow as the two young people departed, Sally turning to drop him a curtsey at the ladder hole.

"Little I thought," murmured the girl, glancing back up the ladder at Zenas when she had reached the ground floor of the barn once more, "little I thought when I climbed so blithely this morn those ladder rungswhat dreadful experience awaited me!"

"Nay, let us forget about it!" said Zenas, shuddering despite the hot sunlight which slanted in at the open door.

Emerging, they stared about them. All around were evidences of enemy occupation. Windows had been wantonly broken, furniture, some of which had been carried away, had been dumped out in a heap and set fire to and was now but a smouldering pile of ashes. Walking along the market lane toward the Four Corners, Sally saw three or four still forms upon the ground, some clad in the hated red, and shiveringly averted her eyes. There was still the sound of musketry to the west and north, with an occasional boom from a cannon which must have been near the river front, and