Vassar crawled on his hands and knees halfway across the lawn, gripped his rifle, and waited. CHAPTER XXXIV The orderly who searched the house found two shotguns. The Colonel who had quartered his staff for the night pointed to the two old men. “Arrest them--you understand.” Andrew Vassar knew what the brief clause with which the order ended meant. He crossed himself and breathed a prayer for the safety of his loved ones. Zonia and Marya burst into tears. Virginia and her mother drew themselves erect and waited white and silent. Holland faced the commander, erect, defiant. “I am a soldier, sir,” he began with dignity. “I fought for my country through four bloody years in a hundred skirmishes and twenty-six great battles. I have the right to bear arms. I have won that right with my blood. I claim it before any court on earth over which a soldier presides.” The commander fixed him with a stern look. “You have disobeyed the proclamation of the Governor-General, the servant of my Imperial Master. You have therefore forfeited all rights.” “I demand a trial by drum-head court martial!” Holland answered. “You shall have it--you and your companion. Take them away.” Between two soldiers they were marched across the fields. The children burst into incontrollable weeping. The Colonel spoke in sharp tones: “Come, come, my children. It is nothing. I must respect the forms. Their lives are forfeited, but I spare them for your sakes. They will return, both, tomorrow--have no fear!” Zonia seized the officer’s hand still sobbing: “Thank you! Thank you!” Marya in her joy kissed him. The crisis passed, the Colonel turned to the ladies with a courtly bow. “I am sorry to have to be so rude in your presence, madam,” he said, addressing Virginia’s mother. “We are soldiers. I must obey the orders of my superiors. I have no choice. We are sorry to put you to the trouble--but we are tired and hungry and we must dine. I will appreciate a good dinner and I shall see to it that your home is safe from intrusion on this unhappy evening.” His heels clicked again and he resumed his seat. “We will serve you dinner at once,” Virginia quickly replied before her mother could answer. “We are sorry that it will be so poor. We have had no market for the past two days--” “Some good wine will go far to make up for what else you may lack,” a Lieutenant interrupted. “By all means, some wine--“ the Colonel added. The three men were bidden to enter the dining-room with a bow from Peter, the black butler. “We dine alone?” the Colonel asked in surprise. “De ladies is feelin’ very po’ly, sah--Dey axe to be ‘cused--” “Say to the ladies,” was the stern answer, “that we cannot sit down without their presence. We await them. Ask them to come at once.” The request was a command. The women held a council of war. “I’ll die first,” Mrs. Holland calmly answered. “You will not,” Virginia firmly declared.