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On we pressed, first breath gone, second breath steady; and only for the sickening foreboding that alht of Elsin, I should not have suffered fro on parallel to our path, was strung out that pack of raiding bloodhounds; farther south, perhaps at this very instant entering Johnstown, roan burst froan to cli the dry bed of a torrent fairly alive with partridges

"Winter's cohty fast; them birds is a-packin' and a-buddin' already Down to the Bush I see them peckin' the windfall apples in your old orchard"

I scarcely heard hi of dull surprise grew in me that at such a time a man could note and discuss such trifles Ah, but he had no sweetheart there in the threatened town, menaced by death in its most dreadful shape

"Are the women in the jail?" I asked,as we toiled onward

"I guess they are, sir--leastways Jack Mount was detailed there to handle the ently: "Is your lady there, sir?"

"Yes--God help her!"

He said nothing; there was nothing of comfort for any man to say I looked up at the sun

"It's close to noontide, sir," said Elerson "We'llround by the Hall and keep cover, or chance it by the road to Jimmy Burke's?"

"What about the scout?" I asked miserably

He shook his head, and over his solemn eyes a shadow passed

"Mayhap," he muttered, "Tim Murphy's luck will hold, sir He's been fired at by a hundred of their best marksmen; he's been in every bloody scrape, assault, ambush, retreat, 'twixt Edward and Cherry Valley, and never a single bullet-scratch We ht: "With your leave, Captain Renault, we'll fringe the tiainst the sky!"

We were in Johnstown There, across Sir Willia stubble-fields, stood the baronial hall Sunlight sparkled on the s I saw the lilacs, the bare-limbed locusts, the orchards, still brilliant with scarlet and yellow fruit, the long stone wall and hedge fence, the lawns intensely green

"It is deserted," I said in a low voice

"Hark!" breathed Elerson, ear to the wind After a moment I heard a deadened report froe, then another and another; and, spite of the adverse breeze, a quavering, gentle, sustained sound, scarcepersistently in the air