"At the onset! Yes! It is something never to forget. He leaps to his horse, rides to the head of his troop, and gallops it to the very front of the battle. I saw him at Dunbar, his Ironsides in buff and rusty steel shouting after him—sons of Anak most of them—God’s soldiers, not men’s; and led by one whose swoop and stroke in battle no one ever saw equaled. All through the fight he was a pillar of fire to us; and just when it was hottest the sun rose upon the sea, and Cromwell took it for a sign of present victory, and shouted to his army, ’Now let God arise, and His enemies shall be scattered.’" "I can see him! I can hear him!" cried Jane. "And at that moment, the Scots broke and fled, and the field was ours. Then he called a halt, and to steady his men and fire them afresh for the pursuit, he sang with us the one hundred and seventeenth Psalm. And one troop after another caught the words, and for two miles men leaning upon their swords were singing, ’O praise the Lord all ye nations: praise Him all ye people. For His merciful kindness is great towards us, and the truth of the Lord endureth forever. Praise ye the Lord!’ I tell you there was joyful clamour enough on Dunbar’s swampy field to make the sky ring about it." "And what of Israel Swaffham? He did his part? I know that," said Mrs. Swaffham. "He led his own troop of the solid fen men of Cambridgeshire. I saw their blue banner waving wherever Tonbert carried it." "And John?" "Was with Lambert’s Yorkshiremen. No one could resist them. Cymlin rode with Cromwell. Cymlin was never behindhand yet." "I thank God for my men. I give them gladly to His Cause." Jane’s face was radiant, and tears of enthusiasm filled her eyes. She kissed the doctor proudly, and ran to send a messenger to de Wick with the tidings of Dunbar. When she returned she sat down by his side, and leaning her head against his arm, began to question him: "Dr. John, at Marston Moor Leslie fought _with_ Cromwell, was with him in that glorious charge, where he got the name of Ironside. Why then was he fighting against Cromwell at Dunbar?" "The Scotch have had many minds in this war, Jane. Just now they are determined to make Presbyterianism dominant in England, and give us the young man, Charles Stuart, for our king. And Englishmen will not have either King or Presbytery. As far as that goes, most of them would rather take the Book of Common Prayer than touch the Scotch Covenant. And as for the young man, Charles Stuart, he is false as hell from his beard to his boots; false to the Scots, false to the English, true to no one." "And you, Doctor, how do you feel?" "My little girl, I was born an Independent. I have preached and suffered for liberty of conscience; if I could deny it, I would deny my baptism. I’ll do neither—not while my name is John Verity." Then Jane lifted his big hand and kissed it, and answered, "I thought so!"