Gavin knew her, despite the lane of darkness, despite the long cloak that now concealed even her feet, despite the hood over her head. She was looking quite respectable, but he knew her. He neither advanced to her nor retreated. Could the unhappy girl not see that she was walking into the arms of the soldiers? But doubtless she had been driven from all her hiding-places. For a moment Gavin had it in his heart to warn her. But it was only for a moment. The next a sudden horror shot through him. She was stealing toward him, so softly that he had not seen her start. The woman had designs on him! Gavin turned from her. He walked so quickly that judges would have said he ran. The soldiers, I have said, stood in the dim light. Gavin had almost reached them, when a little hand touched his arm. "Stop," cried the sergeant, hearing some one approaching, and then Gavin stepped out of the darkness with the gypsy on his arm. "It is you, Mr. Dishart," said the sergeant, "and your lady?" "I----," said Gavin. His lady pinched his arm. "Yes," she answered, in an elegant English voice that made Gavin stare at her, "but, indeed, I am sorry I ventured into the streets to-night. I thought I might be able to comfort some of these unhappy people, captain, but I could do little, sadly little." "It is no scene for a lady, ma'am, but your husband has----. Did you speak, Mr. Dishart?" "Yes, I must inf----" "My dear," said the Egyptian, "I quite agree with you, so we need not detain the captain." "I'm only a sergeant, ma'am." "Indeed!" said the Egyptian, raising her pretty eyebrows, "and how long are you to remain in Thrums, sergeant?" "Only for a few hours, Mrs. Dishart. If this gypsy lassie had not given us so much trouble, we might have been gone by now." [Illustration: "I HOPE YOU WILL CATCH HER, SERGEANT."] "Ah, yes, I hope you will catch her, sergeant." "Sergeant," said Gavin, firmly, "I must----" "You must, indeed, dear," said the Egyptian, "for you are sadly tired. Good-night, sergeant." "Your servant, Mrs. Dishart. Your servant, sir." "But----," cried Gavin. "Come, love," said the Egyptian, and she walked the distracted minister through the soldiers and up the manse road. The soldiers left behind, Gavin flung her arm from him, and, standing still, shook his fist in her face. "You--you--woman!" he said. This, I think, was the last time he called her a woman. But she was clapping her hands merrily. "It was beautiful!" she exclaimed. "It was iniquitous!" he answered. "And I a minister!" "You can't help that," said the Egyptian, who pitied all ministers heartily. "No," Gavin said, misunderstanding her, "I could not help it. No blame attaches to me." "I meant that you could not help being a minister. You could have helped saving me, and I thank you so much." "Do not dare to thank me. I forbid you to say that I saved you. I did my best to hand you over to the authorities." "Then why did you not hand me over?" Gavin groaned.