'Certainly not in her need,' returned he. 'But, madam, you have your own trusty servants back again and your litter, and the villains who molested you have gone.' 'Still, I fear,' I said, 'I fear much that Sir Claudius, with his odious followers, may again find us. His father and my father are at enmity, and he may carry on the feud against me.' 'There is no knowing what such a cur may do,' rejoined Sir Hubert Blair. 'He will lose his knighthood if he goes on as he is doing. But are you really afraid, Mistress Margaret?' And then he added, 'I thought you were so brave.' Thereupon I did a very foolish thing, but one which was perhaps natural considering my youth and the rough experiences I had just passed through--I began to cry, as if my heart would break, hiding my face against Betsy's shoulder and giving way completely. 'Oh! Do not! Do not weep!' cried Sir Hubert, his resolution vanquished by my tears. 'I will escort you to your destination, indeed I will, if only you will not weep.' 'Hearken, mistress, hearken. The noble gentleman will accompany us,' said Betsy in my ear. And still I wept, for having given way I gave way utterly and could not stop my tears. 'Poor child! Poor child!' I heard Sir Hubert say. And then he turned to Timothy, and began some talk about the horses. When I felt a little better I heard Timothy telling the knight that his men had captured his horse and were seeking him in all directions. When he heard this Sir Hubert whistled three times, and then waited, listening intently. In the distance we heard a faint sound as of whistling in answer. Then Sir Hubert came to my coach door and spoke to me. 'Mistress Margaret Brown,' he said, 'I am pleased to find that I can escort you as an outrider, as far as you are going. When my men come up with my horse, which they have recovered, we will ride by your coach. Then I think, even if that scoundrel, Sir Claudius, and his men encounter us again, we shall be equal to them.' I was overjoyed at that, and I don't know what I answered, but he seemed quite satisfied, and presently his men came up with Sultan, whom they had captured, and he and they rode before and alongside our coach, to my extreme content and satisfaction.