out of his concealment. The Cavalier sprung upon him, and grasped bis hands.

"By my saul," cried Armstrong, "it's himsel' in

his ain flesh an' bleid; this'll e'en be braw news till ye ken wha.-Hollo, Jernighan.”

He clapped his hands, and an armed man appeared at the curtain, or barricado, over the portal, to whom Armstrong spoke, and the wicket of the great gate was expanded. Sydenham, in the mean time, brought forth his companion, to whom he introduced the borderer: Sidebotham, his native countryman, knew him before. They all clambered over the ruins, and entered the wicket, which was instantly barred and chained. The Colonel's first business was to enquire for his wife; and Armstrong informed him, that the grief with which she was overwhelmed on quitting the inn at Marple, had thrown her into a fever, wherein she had languished until news was brought of his escape from Chester; from that day she had revived, and was now sufficiently well to leave her chamber.

"Bide a wee," cried the borderer, "an' I'll gar her be prepared for yer coming."

He hastened forward, but not so fast but that Sydenham was at his heels. The Scot pushed the folding doors of her apartment open, and the Colonel beheld his wife sitting in an attitude of melancholy reflection. She started up, on seeing them enter, and flew on the wings of love into the arms of her husband. Armstrong very delicately left the room, and we shall follow his example.

When the Colonel and his lady had finished their interview, Mr. White and the two officers joined them, and they partook of supper together. Sydenham, upon enquiring the state of the siege, and stating it to be impossible to hold out against a storm, now the moat was diverted, was told by Armstrong that he had only arrived in time to see their ruin.

"We ha'e no' five rounds of ammunition," said

the Scot. "Nor two days' provisions," pursued Sidebotham.

"There is the deil's ain gapin' breach in the wa"," continued the borderer; "an' it's no stoppit but wi' rubbish; an' that bonnie lad, Snell, swears, to-morrow he'll set the castle in ae lowe, an' burn us out, gin we dinna hang out a flag o' render by daybreak."

"What number of men have ye?" said the Colonel.

"About one hundred," replied Sidebotham; "they're tall fellows, and many of them served under yer honour in the late war."

"Let them be drawn out by day-break," said Sydenham, calmly; "give them as much as they like to eat and drink; and see that their horses are properly looked to. To-morrow will be a warm day, and they will need full feeding. I will tell ye my mind when we meet in the morning. Armstrong, provide Mr. White a bed."

They then separated, and retired to rest.

CHAPTER XVIII.

And let me the canakin clink, clink;

And let me the canakin clink;

A soldier's a man;

A life's but a span;

Why then let a soldier drink.

OTHELLO.

AT day-break the Colonel walked into the courtyard, attended by Armstrong. He was clad in a complete suit of old fashioned tilting armour, which, by good fortune, Sidebotham discovered in the castle armoury. The men were drawn up in the front of their horses, and by the length and solemnity of their visages, it was plain they had, during the previous night, been inwardly ruminating the morning's danger." Upon beholding the Colonel, who nodded or spoke to each man he knew, their gloom wore off, and they shortly carried an air more confident and presumptuous, that it was before sad and desponding.

[It was in those days the practice (though it may seem a little singular to military men of this day's school,) for a commanding officer to address his soldiers before joining battle, of the truth of which fact we might here adduce numerous examples; and it seemeth to us somewhat of an over-refinement in military economy, that this practice is now in desuetude. Surely what was practised by Scipio, and approved by his learned friend Polybius, need not have been utterly scouted by our modern officers; for although General Bonaparte, that thunderbolt of war, accustomed himself to calculate merely upon the physical force of his soldiers, like mechanical automata, yet the example of a despotic monarch should be no rule VOL. II.

S

for British generals, who have now, and we trust ever will have, a soldiery as rational and intelligent as they are bold and courageous.]*

With the same countenance of cheerfulness and confidence with which Cæsar was wont to address his legions, Colonel Sydenham thus harangued his troop:

"There are many of ye here, friends and cavaliers, who have, under my eye, run the fortunes of our royal master, and in hotter fights than you are likely to be engaged in to-day, have not only come off with flying colours, but given your enemies a bloody testimony of your valour and discipline. I see more than a score of ye, and doubtless there are others whom I may have forgotten, who were present at the battle on the Yorkshire hills; that, brothers, was a day of danger, but it was also a day of glory. Ye will remember that our regiment bore the brunt of the fight, and that several gallant men won commissions, among the rest, my friend and your officer, Lieutenant Sidebotham. There is no hope for us here, but that of cutting our way through the foe; and trust me, gentlemen, I believe we have strength and courage to effect it.-Mount, friends; prepare for march."

The men sprang upon their horses, and formed two bodies; one commanded by Armstrong, and the other by Sidebotham. Sydenham withdrew into the castle, but immediately returned with his wife and Mr. White. The former was clothed in a riding dress, but wore over it a buff cloak, to guard her as well as possible from the cuts of the enemy. Her countenance was serene and undaunted, and she smiled as she bowed to the soldiers; but the emotion of her husband was visible through all his struggles to hide it.

"We may protect you," said he, "against their weapons, but what can against their shot?"

She looked upwards, and replied devoutly, "God can, Charles; and if I deserve it, doubt not but he

* Editorial interpol. L. G.

will. I am in his hands, and though naked, as secure as those who are clad in steel."

"He who trusts in the Lord," said the pastor, "will never be confounded."

Their horses were now brought out; Lady Sydenham was placed on a blood mare, full of spirit; and her husband rode a stout charger, of vast bone and action. The Colonel placed his wife in the rear of the troop, between Armstrong and himself, leaving to Sidebotham the post of leader of the van; and Mr. White, who had armed himself as a trooper, closed the file. The morning (as is usual in that hilly country) was damp and foggy; a thick mist, which had come down from the Derby hills, blotted out the face of the sun, and rendered it impossible to see a score yards forward; and when Sydenham ordered the gate to be thrown open, and the bridge lowered, he was surprised to observe that the haze hid the enemy's camp from sight.

"The Lord is for us, as Cromwell used to say," cried Armstrong. "Gently, gently down, my lads, an' we may pass undiscovered."

Sidebotham spurred his horse over the bridge, and was followed by the troop. The whole passed in safety: but the noise they made alarmed the enemy, who, fancying they were in the act of making a sally, commenced a furious cannonade against the bare walls, whilst Sydenham put the troop to speed, and crossing the chase, soon got into the bigh road.* Providence had so far watched over them, but they had not yet escaped from danger. There was no other way for their passage into Derbyshire but over the bridge at Marple, where Snell had his quarters, and as it was his practice to be at the leaguer of Wibberley with his troopers by sun-rise, it was to be expected they should meet him; they were, however, agreeably disappointed, for they approached the town without en

* It was in this way, our readers will remember, that Balfour and his horse escaped from Charles the first, at Lestithiel