And she gazed scornfully at the humble surroundings. The little dark vaulted room with its one deep recessed window, its inner space curtained off to form a second bedroom, the litter and mess about the floor. ‘This is no place for--’ She paused suddenly, and a wild scared look came over her face. A footman, one of her own people, a tall, black-whiskered and pompous Jeames, was standing in the doorway, and the sudden apparition seemed to put a seal upon her tongue. ‘The horses, m’lady,’ said the man respectfully enough, although there was an accent of authority in his voice. ‘The horses have been standing nearly half an hour, m’lady, and the coachman says--’ ‘Yes, yes, I’ll come at once--at once, Robert. Good people, you will understand my anxiety for the boy. The blame rested so entirely upon us. It is an immense relief to know that he is not injured.’ Then watching her opportunity, she hissed out with frenzied eagerness-- ‘Not a word to a soul; not a syllable, as you value _his_ future and my peace. I will come again to-morrow, or sooner, unattended. H--sh, for heaven’s sake, h--sh,’ and she hurriedly left the room. ‘Well, I’m blowed,’ said the Sergeant, drawing a long breath. ‘If that ain’t the rummest game. What does it mean, missus? Can you tell?’ Mrs. Larkins met his inquiring eyes quite steadily, and if she was conscious of any mystery no suspicion of it could be traced in her voice and manner. ‘She must be off her head--that’s my notion--clean, stark, staring mad.’ ‘And mine too. Yon flunkey was her keeper, I expect. Bound to look after her and keep her out of mischief. It’ll make a fine talk in the barracks, this will.’ ‘I don’t see why it should. I wouldn’t let on if I was you; don’t gossip about it at the canteen, Sergeant, or at the sergeants’ mess. What’s the good?’ A docile and obedient husband was Sergeant Larkins, who, through all the years of his married life, had accepted his wife’s will as law. Mrs. Larkins was a buxom, bright-eyed dame, who made a man’s home comfortable for him, so long as he allowed her to rule. ‘You’re right. It’s a folly always to talk, leastways when you’ve nothing to talk about, and the freaks of a mad woman don’t amount to much. We shan’t hear no more about _her_.’ Nor did they for days, nay, weeks, but months, and the episode was fading from their memories, at least from that of the Sergeant, when the lady suddenly re-appeared unattended and alone. She looked suspiciously about her as she entered the room. ‘I could not come before. I have been watched. Even now I fear they are on my track. Quick! Where is the boy?’ Hercules Albert was where he and his brothers generally were--in mischief.