With the key in her hand, Mabel hurried down the passage, her slippers making no sound on the matting. There was a light in Dick’s den, and Fitz and Captain Winlock were shovelling armfuls of papers and various small articles into a huge camel-trunk which stood open in the middle of the floor. As Mabel reached the door, Winlock held out something to Fitz. “Not much good taking this, at any rate,” he said, and a cold hand seemed to grip Mabel’s heart as she saw that it was Dick’s tobacco-pouch, which Georgia, with what his sister considered a reprehensible toleration of her husband’s pleasant vices, had worked for him. “No, put it in,” said Fitz gruffly. “It may comfort her to have it.” A slight sound at the door, half gasp, half groan, made both men jump, and looking round they saw Mabel, her eyes wide with terror. “Mr Anstruther, what has happened to Dick?” The words were barely audible. Fitz stood guiltily silent. “Tell me,” she said. “He was wounded,” growled Winlock. “It’s worse than that, I know. Is he taken prisoner?” “No,” was the unwilling reply. “Then he’s killed! Oh!----” but before Mabel could utter another word, Fitz’s hand was upon her mouth. “Miss North, you mustn’t scream. For Heaven’s sake, think of his wife! Remember what those two are--have been--to one another, and remember--everything. Let us get her safe to the fort, and let Mrs Hardy break it to her gently. A sudden shock like this might kill her.” Mabel freed herself from the restraining hand, and stood shivering as if with cold. “Oh, Dick, Dick!” she wailed pitifully, in a tone that went to the men’s hearts, and then she crept back in silence along the passage. Once in her own room, she dropped helplessly into a chair and sat rigid, staring straight before her. Dick dead! Georgia a widow! that perfect comradeship at an end for ever!--and Georgia did not know it. Mabel wrung her hands feebly. It was the only movement she had strength to make. All power of thought and action seemed to have forsaken her. Dick was dead and Georgia was left. “My beloved Mab!” Georgia came hurrying in, equipped for driving. “I said I should be ready first, but I didn’t expect to find you quite so far behind. I believe Rahah keeps half my things packed, all ready for a night alarm of this kind, but of course your ayah is not accustomed to these little excitements. Are you quite overwhelmed by the amount that has to be done?” “Yes; I don’t know what to pack first,” said Mabel, with a forced laugh, keeping her face turned away. “Well, Rahah and I will see to that while you dress. We may be some days in the fort, and you don’t want to go about in an amber dressing-gown the whole time. We’ll begin with your jewel-case. Where is it?” “Oh, I don’t know! What’s the good of taking that sort of thing?” “It might be invaluable--to buy food, or bribe the enemy, or ransom a prisoner--or anything. Where _is_ it, Mab? I thought you kept it in here?”