Then turning to Lady Royland, who stood there flushed and with her eyes humid, he said, with grave respect, "I thank you, madam. It is only what I should have expected from one of your good, considerate nature, and I shall never forget it.--There, Roy," he said, "I am going back to my room, and shall always be there when you want me. I stay there because I fear to be in the way, but I'll come and do anything you wish if I can be useful. But, please," he added, with a comical look of appeal, "don't ask me to buckle on a sword, to come and fight, nor yet to fire guns. I should be sure to shut my eyes when I pulled the trigger, and waste the charge. Good-morning; I'm sorry I was so late." He made as if to go, but paused as Lady Royland took a step or two forward and held out her hand, which he took and kissed respectfully. "Thank you, Master Pawson," she said, with her voice low from emotion; "you have made everything seem brighter to us than it has looked for days. I feel now that the world is not so cowardly and cruel as this letter makes out that it was. I thank you. Sir Granby shall know of your noble conduct, and--" "No, no! please don't say any more now," cried the secretary, hurriedly; and he hastened to quit the room. "I am glad," cried Roy, as the door was closed. "Glad!" exclaimed Lady Royland; "and I am sorry, Roy, that we should have been so ready to misjudge." CHAPTER FIFTEEN. BEN MARTLET PROPOSES A SEARCH. The coming in of Farmer Raynes and his ten men had a capital effect upon the people round. It was an example which soon bore fruit. After the first two or three attendances at the castle, they marched there together, with the farmer by them, in thorough military fashion, and were followed by the people from the village, who would have gladly come across the moat had not the gate been clanged-to by the sentry of the day on duty, and then they had to content themselves with standing gazing across at the drilling and martial exercises which went on. The firing of the big guns--for all were tried in turn so as to see that they were serviceable--was a grand portion of the entertainment, and, in spite of secret adverse influences at work, the tenants on the estate soon began to present themselves for enrolment in the little body, eager to a man to don the castle uniform and bear arms; while the fact that the officer in command was a mere boy sent the lads of the neighbourhood half-mad. In fact, day after day they came in pairs to offer themselves for enlistment, but only to go disappointed away; those who showed the most surprise at the refusal to accept their services being the very young. "Why, bless my heart!" Farmer Raynes would say, with his broad, deep chuckle, "it would be like putting a 'stinguisher on a rush-light to stick a steel cap on some of those boys' heads. You'd be putting them out, Ben Martlet."