I durst touch nothing I saw, yet that single glance roused fires within me which, if it be a sin to hate one's enemy, will assuredly stand to my hurt in the day of reckoning. Yet how could mortal man stand thus and not be stirred? I passed on softly into the tiny chamber beyond. There the air was fragrant with the scent of a sprig of honeysuckle that lay yet unwithered in the window. On the floor lay scattered a few papers, written in a notable poetic hand, and addressed--as I could not but read--"To one who bade the poet give o'er his singing," or "To the fair moon, handmaiden to the glorious sun," or in such wise. On a chair was another paper half written, and beside it a pen: "Humphrey," it said, in Jeannette's loved hand--"Humphrey, come over and help--" Here the pen had hastily ceased its work. This mute appeal, lying thus to greet me, roused the whole man in every pulse of my body. I seized the dear paper in my hands and kissed it, and then, placing both it and the maiden's scarf in my bosom, I dashed from the room with drawn sword and called my men to horse. "To horse!" I cried, "and ride as you never rode before, men; for I vow to heaven I will not quit this saddle till I find the foul dog who has robbed me of my dearest jewel." They obeyed quickly and cheerily, for the horror of that night had given them enough and to spare of Castleroe. A mile through the forest road was a woodman's hut whose master looked out curiously to see us pass. It seemed to me worth while, being the first man we had met, to question him. So I ordered a halt. "You are an O'Neill?" said I. "Who told you so?" growled he in Irish; and I guessed from the look of him that he was the man I wanted. I signalled to two of my men to dismount and seize him. "Now," said I, fumbling my pistol, "time presses. Tell me which way the O'Neill has gone." "How do I know?" said he. I cocked my pistol and laid it across my saddle. "He went to Dublin, a month since," said the fellow, quickly. "And the English Captain?" He growled a curse, and said: "He passed here last night for Tyrone's country." "And the Lady Rose O'Neill and her maid. Who carried them off, and when?" He paused and looked doggedly at me. I raised my pistol and laid it at his head. "Two days since they rode hence under escort of three of the Captain's men." "And whither went they?" "The Captain knows. Follow him and you shall find them." "Look you here," said I, "if what you say be true, you shall have your life. If not--" "I'm no liar," said he, "and I curse the English." "Then," said I, "help me and my men to save your chief's daughter, and slay yonder Captain." He pricked up his ears at that. "'Tis too late, I doubt," said he. "The villain works quickly. 'Twere better to find the maids dead. It took him not many hours to rob this house of all its light."