"Not as a compliment--as the simple truth," he answered, very seriously,--too seriously, indeed, for it did not ring quite true, and she detected it. "I fear that you equivocate," she cried. "You mean something which you do not say." "I protest----" "Be careful, lest you protest too much, Sir Edward." "You are unjust," he declared--"what other meaning could I have?" Again the shoulders did duty. "I am a poor guesser of motives--particularly, when they do not concern me," she answered. "Unkind, unkind!" he cried--then they both laughed. "Let us go in to breakfast," she said. They were turning away, when the clatter of a galloping horse, attracted them, and up the avenue, at full speed, came Henry Marbury. "Why, it is father!" she exclaimed--"what can be the matter? he is waving to us--what does he mean?" "Stay here, I will meet him," said Parkington, and hurried down the steps. At the same time, a negro groom ran out from the stables, and stood ready to take the horse. "Go in! Go in! Close the house!" Marbury cried--"close the house, quick!--quick!" "What?" shouted Parkington, the pounding of the hoofs drowning the words. "What do you say?" "Close the house! quick!--quick!" "Close the house! quick!" Parkington repeated to Judith. A moment later, Marbury dashed up, flung the reins from him, and leaped down. "Pirates!" he shouted. "Pirates!--they are coming!" pointing behind him--where, five hundred yards away, and barely distinguishable among the trees, a crowd of men were approaching on the run. "Pirates!" said Parkington, incredulously. "Surely not!" "Then, stay and welcome them, if you think so," called Marbury, rushing up the steps. Parkington stayed long enough to get another view of the nearing men, then followed him. Within, he found both order and confusion. The guests were just about to assemble for breakfast--some were down stairs, some about to come down, others just finishing their toilet. Marbury was standing in the hall giving orders to the blacks, who were frightened but still retained sufficient sense to do as they were told. Mr. Paca, Captain Herford, and the other men were closing the shutters on the lower floor, the women those on the floor above. Already the pirates had sent a detachment around to the rear of the house, keeping under cover of the stables, and escape for the women, by horseback, was cut off. George Marbury had managed to send a servant off, an instant before, however, to apprise the nearest plantations of their plight--and begging that they muster all the assistance in their power and hasten to the rescue.