"Be sure you keep a silent tongue as to that, Roger; and remember that our story is, that I have been put at knightly ransom, and on the condition that I will never serve in Wales again. When we once get across the border we will ride straight for Northumberland, without going near Ludlow. I observed that the king much doubted the Mortimers, and were we to return there, and the news came to his ears, he might take it as a proof that there was an understanding between Glendower and Mortimer; and that it was to this that leniency, such as had been shown to no other prisoners, was due; whereas, if we go straight to Percy, 'tis not likely that the matter will ever come to his hearing, and at any rate, if it did so, he would scarce connect Mortimer with our escape." "I understand, Sir Oswald; and will, you may be sure, keep silent as to aught beyond what you have bade me say." Two days' journey brought them to the house of Glendower's married daughter. On the officer stating that the knight with him had been sent, under his escort, by Glendower himself, she requested that he should be shown in. Her husband was away. "What is the knight's name?" she asked. "Sir Oswald Forster, Lady." "I have never, so far as I know, heard it before. Methought that he might be one whom I may have met, in the houses of my two sisters married to Englishmen, in Hereford; but I have no memory of the name. Show him in, sir." Roger had removed Oswald's helmet, while the officer was away. "Come with me, Roger," he said, "since we were both concerned in this affair." He bowed deeply to the Lady Isabel; who, as she returned his salute, saw with surprise that his face was quite strange to her. "It seems, Sir Oswald," she said, "from the tenor of the message given me by the officer, that you have come to me as a visitor; and that 'tis as an escort, only, that he has been sent with you?" "That is so, Lady; but 'tis as a visitor rather to your sisters, the Ladies Jane and Margaret, that I am here. I had, once, the pleasure of meeting them." Glendower's daughter at once told a maid, who was working with her when the officer had entered, to request her sisters to come to her; and these entered the room a minute later. Isabel, seeing that they did not appear to recognize the young knight, said: "Our father has sent this gentleman, Sir Oswald Forster, whom you know, to visit you." The two girls looked with surprise at Oswald. "Do you not know this gentleman?" their sister asked, in equal surprise. "He is not known to us," Jane replied. "I have never seen him before--at least, that I can remember." "We have met before, nevertheless, Lady," Oswald said, with a smile; "though it may well be that you do not remember my face, or that of my squire there; seeing that we were together but a few minutes, and that in the moonlight." The girls looked up at him puzzled, and then their eyes fell upon Roger.