One that seemed to be their Captain stepped forth, and having slightly saluted her with a hand to his morion, turned leisurely to his following, and bade them shut the gate; which done, he posted them, some before the ways accessible to the hall, and the rest under a sergeant, in the rooms above it, that he commanded them strictly to scrutinize. The soldiers had no sooner obeyed him than he drew forth a paper largely sealed, which he told us, with a great air, was Her Grace's commission and gave warrant to search this messuage of Petty Wales for any such as might seem to be obnoxious to the Queen's peace, there harbouring. The Captain was a tall, ill-favoured youth, of a behaviour quite lacking of courtesy, yet well enough matched to the task he had in hand; for he spoke in a slow and overbearing voice that betokened as much doubt of another's honesty, as satisfaction for the power given him to apprehend all that should withstand him. Idonia and I stood some distance apart, and after a swift glance at me, the Captain addressed himself to the girl solely, and with so evident a mistrust of her, as it maddened me to hear him. "Your name, mistress?" said the Captain. "Idonia Avenon," she replied carelessly, though I could not but grieve to note how pale she continued. "And your father, he lives here with you?" "He is dead," said she. "Who inhabits here, then, besides yourself?" "A many," replied Idonia, "though I have not their names." The Captain turned aside to his lieutenant with some whispered word of offence that made the fellow smile broadly; and at that I could no further refrain myself. "Stay within the limits of your commission, sir," said I hotly, "and keep your jests for other seasons." He troubled not so much as to turn his head my way, but took up his examination of Idonia again. "Nor you know not their trades either, I suppose?" said he with a sneer. "Saving this man's here present," replied the girl, "who keeps the books of accompt in a great merchant's counting-house." You may judge whether I gasped at that, or no; and perhaps the Captain noted my alarm, for he inquired at once who the merchant might be I served. "'Tis Mr. Edward Osborne," said Idonia, "unless I mistake." "It is," said I, and remembering Mr. Nelson's words, added boldly that he was Governor of the Turkey Company; but inwardly I said, "Whither doth this lying tend?" "And what purposeth he in this house?" demanded the soldier, somewhat taken aback by our credible answers. "What, but to learn me in the keeping of accompts?" replied she. "Ah, an apt scholar, I doubt not," cried the other, raising his chin insolently. "I think I am not so backward for a maid," said Idonia modestly, and reached forth her hand to the great ledger-book I had so maligned; the which I now saw turned to an engine of our salvation; for opening it at the former place she continued: