grandfather,” said the girl, and Nat saw her look intently ahead in the lamp-light, “I feel quite sure that I heard some one.”

“Pish!” answered the man, impatiently.

[33]“What if you did? The roads are free to every one, are they not?”

[33]

“But just now,” persisted the girl, “it is dangerous, is it not, with all this coming and going of strange men? Indeed,” with great candor, “I don’t like their looks any too well.”

“Hold your tongue,” cried the man, angrily. “It’s not for you to question the appearance of loyal subjects of the king.”

“And do you think,” said the girl, “they are really willing to——”

“Hush, I tell you!” The voice of the man rose sharply and broke with the quaver of age. “What talk is that to have in a public place? For all you know, there may be a score about to hear you.”

During the above, the pair continued advancing along the lane in Nat’s direction; and all the time the girl gazed ahead, trying to pierce the darkness beyond the circle of light. A ray from the lantern fell upon Nat’s face as the old man spoke the last words, and the girl halted with a sharp exclamation, grasping his arm.

“What is it?” asked her companion.

[34]“A stranger!” breathed the girl. “There near the fence.”

[34]

The old man flashed the lantern in the direction indicated; and Nat’s lounging figure was bathed in its rays.

“What now, sir?” demanded the girl’s companion, sternly. “What do you mean by prowling around and startling decent people in this way?”

“I beg your pardon,” said Nat, politely, taking off his cap. “I just happened to be passing.”

The old man peered into his face. He was old, but his eyes were keen and bright; and he studied Nat closely.

“Who are you?” he demanded. “I don’t think I have seen you in this neighborhood before.”

“Possibly not,” replied the boy. “I have not been here a great while.”

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