Hans answered in the affirmative, going on to explain that Hedwig, whom he recognized as an old acquaintance, and his former superior in the army, had begged of him not to divulge the fact that he had served against the Americans: fearing that it would render him unpopular; but doubtless if it could be done without incurring that risk, he would lend his uniform for a consideration. Lyttleton authorized Hans to hire it for the winter, naming a liberal sum and enjoining secrecy. "I expect to find use for it one of these days or nights, which is all you need to know at present," he concluded. Hans promised to attend to the commission promptly, and with due care that none should know of it save Hedwig and himself. Godfrey Dale ran in to Major Lamar's that morning, directly after breakfast, to say that the young people were getting up a riding party for that afternoon, and to ask Nell if he might be her escort. "You must please excuse my coming at so early an hour," he said, with a mischievous smile; "it was in order to forestall the Englishman, who almost monopolizes you of late, it seems to me." "No, he does not," said Nell, looking but ill pleased. "He is here a great deal, I know, but I cannot forbid him the house." "I left him in Clendenin's office," remarked Dale. "He is generally to be found there when he is not here; seems to admire the doctor prodigiously, tells me he has conceived a very warm friendship for him." "Then he is an arrant hypocrite!" exclaimed Nell, her eyes flashing with indignation. "He is always saying or hinting disparaging things of him to me." Dale looked surprised, then angry, then laughed lightly. "To you, Miss Nell? Well, I suppose he dreads Clendenin's rivalry, and thinks all is fair in love." "I shall think but ill of you, Mr. Dale, if you uphold him on any such plea as that," Nell said with vexation. "Uphold him? No, indeed, Miss Nell. I only wish to be as charitable as the case will allow." CHAPTER XX. Night was closing in dark and stormy after a day of clouds and incessant rain, mingled with sleet and snow; the wild November wind swept madly through the streets, whistled, shrieked and roared in the wide chimneys and through the forests, bending the trees with its furious blast, and causing a solitary horseman to bow his head almost to the saddle bow in the vain effort to shield his face from the fierceness of its wrath. "Courage, my brave Romeo, this has been a hard day for you and me, but rest and shelter and food are not far off now," he said, patting the neck of his steed with gentle, caressing hand, as a temporary lull succeeded a more than ordinarily fierce onset. They had crossed the last prairie, threaded the mazes of the last forest, and were close upon the outskirts of the town. It had, indeed, been a hard day, and the doctor was cold, wet and hungry; icicles had gathered on hair and beard, and the heavy overcoat he threw off on entering his office was stiff with frozen rain.