my lip till the blood came, a fair, reproachful face ever before my
eyes.

"I shall obey your orders," I managed to say with calmness, so soon as
I could control my voice to speak at all, "but shall hold myself, and
my men, prepared for a call here at any moment."

"As you please," with an ill-suppressed sneer. "I have always found you
exceedingly anxious to be with the ladies. Indeed I have wondered if
you might not prove a modern illustration of that ancient worthy 'whose
best boast was but to wear a braid of his fair lady's hair.'"

I turned away in silence and strode back to my post, white with anger.
The dining-room remained as I had left it, and when I lay down in my
old position and peered out throught the broken blind, I could mark no
change in the appearance of our besiegers.




CHAPTER XXXII

HAND TO HAND


I have never been willing to believe I slept during the next hour.
Wearied as I have often been, duty has ever held my eyes wide open, and
I prefer to think I merely plunged so deep in reflection as to become
oblivious of all occurring about me. Surely I had sufficient excuse.