Rufus smiled sardonically as he completed the story of the entrapment. "They took us for Essex men because of our orange-tawny scarves, but they found out when too late that we were right-tight Cavalier lads and no crop-eared curmudgeons. Why, we were in the thick of them with sword and pistol before they had stayed from snuffling their psalms of welcome." Brilliana held out her hand again for her cousin's hand and clasped it manfully. "How rich is the ring of victory in your loyal voice," she sighed. "My last public news was of the King's stay at Shrewsbury. Then these curmudgeons raced hot-foot from Cambridge to pull down my flag. But 'This is Loyalty House,' says I, and 'Go to the devil,' says I--forgive me, sirs, if I raged unmaidenly--and I slammed the door in their sour faces. Then came such a tintamar, rebels firing on us, we firing on rebels, and so in such noise and thunder we have been eclipsed out of the world these weary days." "Never were such days better lived through since the world began," said Rufus. "You do well to call this Loyalty House which has held out so well against the King's enemies." Brilliana now turned to where Halfman stood apart, his hands resting on the hilt of his sword, and the shadow of a frown on his forehead as he eyed the babbling gallants. "That Loyalty House should hold out so long as it could was from the first my purpose," she said. "But that it was able to hold out so long as it did was greatly due to the courage and the counsels of this brave gentleman." As she spoke she pointed to Halfman, whose dark face flushed with pleasure as he gave back the stares of the astonished Cavaliers who up to now had left him unnoticed. "Gentles," she went on, "this is Captain Halfman, who warned me of my danger, who helped me in my peril with his soldier's knowledge and his soldier's sword, and who was of my own mind rather to die than to surrender Harby." Halfman strode forward with a studied grace. He felt like Faulconbridge; he felt like Harry at Agincourt; he felt like Coriolanus; he felt exceedingly happy. "Gallants," he said, with a magnificent salutation, "to have served this lady makes a man know how it had seemed to serve Alexander or Caesar. Wherefore, a soldier of good-fortune salutes you." Rufus, who had watched him with something of a sullen eye from the moment of Brilliana's introduction, now answered him with a clearer countenance. "We greet you, sir," he said, gravely, "with great gratitude and great envy, for, indeed, there is none among us who would not have given his life to be lieutenant to this lady." He accorded the beaming Halfman a military salute, and then, turning to Brilliana, continued: "Bright Brilliana, your servants and swains yearned to ride to your help when we heard of your peril, but we could not leave the King in the beginning of his enterprise. He gave us glad leave after the victory. 'Tell the brave lady,' he said, 'she shall be our viceroy in Oxfordshire.'"