The three conspirators drew sighs of relief at the change of subject, and for some little time there was peace, while the new arrival chattered, drank, and ogled Barbara, and they waited with anxious hearts for the next move in the game. Suddenly Captain Jonas broke off abruptly in the middle of a dissertation concerning the absolute demand for more careful training of cavalry, and after staring for a moment fixedly at the girl, he burst into a quick laugh. "By Jove! I have it," he shouted. "’Twas in court at Taunton, I saw you, madame, and not later than Monday last. I saw your trial. What a fool I am! And the name, the name? What was it now? Ha, ha! madame, I’ll have it in a minute, we’ll not leave it to the lawyers to devise." "Well! Lydia Philbeg, an you must have it," answered Barbara calmly. But Captain Jonas shook his head. "Softly, madame, it ran not so. Philbeg! No, I swear that was not the name." "What a pother about a name," interrupted Captain Protheroe impatiently. "Leave the girl in peace, an she wishes to be unknown. Fill your glass, man, and pass the bottle. ’Tis poor stuff, but what can one expect in such a hole? Where are you quartered in Wells, eh?" "We put up at the Green Buck. ’Tis not much of a place, but the wine is fair, and old Dame Barbara has—By Heavens! the very name. That’s queer now. Barbara——Barba—Barbara Winslow or I’m a Dutchman! Your health, Mistress Barbara Winslow. Ha, ha! I knew I’d remember it soon. We toasted you after the trial, before I rode back to quarters. Lydia Philbeg, forsooth! Ha, ha! madame, I’ve got you now!" "’Well, I hope to goodness you’re satisfied now, Jonas," answered the Captain impatiently. "What a man you are for hunting a hare to death!" But a sudden gravity had come over Captain Jonas. "Barbara Winslow!" he muttered. "Zounds! Protheroe, that’s queer. ’Tis the very name of the woman they said you had run off with from Taunton gaol." Captain Protheroe set down his glass suddenly. He saw suspicion dawning in his companion’s eyes. "Hang it all, Jonas! The fellow must have been a d—— an infernal fool. Mistress Winslow escaped indeed, and I was posted after her in pursuit, and caught her this morning. That’s the length of the story. Why, devil take you, man, if I had run off with her, should I be here now? Not unless I was a greater fool than—than you are." But suspicion still hardened in the soldier’s eyes. "Then did the lady escape alone?" he questioned cunningly. "I bore Mistress Winslow company," interrupted Ralph quietly. Captain Jonas turned to him sharply. "You?" he asked contemptuously. "And who may you be?" The youth drew himself up haughtily. "I am Sir Ralph Trevellyan," he answered, eyeing the captain defiantly. "Ralph Trevellyan. Why that’s the name o’ the fellow who escaped us at Burrows’ Farm, four days syne. Burrows’ son told me so himself, under the whip. You never saw the inside of Taunton gaol, my friend."