"What think you, Roger? Must we send these fair young girls to prison?" "In faith, I know not, master. Having been shut up many a time in a cell, I have a sort of fellow feeling for prisoners; and indeed, two fairer maidens I have never seen. Our orders were to look after Welshmen, and see that they did not attack us. No word was said of Welsh women. And besides, they were running away, and not thinking of attacking us." "That is all very well, Roger, but I cannot deceive myself. There is no doubt that it is our duty to take these two maidens prisoners, but my heart aches at the thought that they might pass years of their lives in a prison. They are not responsible for their father's misdeeds and ambition, and it may be that, if they are restored, Glendower may be induced to treat those who fall into his hands mercifully. None but ourselves know of this, and no one need ever know. "I will risk it, anyhow," he said after a short pause. "I know that I am not doing my duty in letting them go; and that, were it ever known, I should lose all chance of further advancement, if indeed I did not lose my life. However, it need never be known, and my conscience would sorely trouble me, whenever I thought of them shut up in one of King Henry's prisons." He turned to the girls again. "Think you, ladies," he asked, "that were you in the king's hands, your father would make terms and submit himself?" "Certainly not," the one who had spoken before said. "He has other children--sons and daughters--and he would not dream of abandoning his rights, and betraying his country, to obtain the liberty of two of us." "In that case, then, your imprisonment would in no degree stop this war, or bring about a renewal of peace between the two countries?" "Certainly not; and as for us, we would strangle ourselves in prison, did we think that any thought of us would turn our father from his noble purpose." "Then in that case," Oswald said quietly, "it is clear that your captivity would do nought to bring about peace, or to allay the troubles that have now begun. Therefore I will take on me to let you go, though in so doing I may be failing somewhat in my duty. Only promise me that, in the future, you will use what influence you may possess with your father, to obtain kind treatment for prisoners who may fall into his hands." The expression of haughty defiance, that they had hitherto worn, faded from the girls' faces. "We shall never forget your kindness, sir," one said, in a low voice. "We thank you, with all our hearts; not so much for our own sake, as for our father's. He has been cruelly ill used. He has much to trouble him, and although I know that our captivity would not turn him from his purpose, it could not but greatly grieve and trouble him, and he has already troubles enough on his shoulders. "Will you accept one of these jewels, as a token only of our gratitude for your kindness, shown this night to us?"