“Defense is hopeless,” the lady said, as Prince Rupert and Harry drew their swords.  “There are but five or six old men here, and the door appears to be already yielding.  There is a secret chamber here where you can defy their search.”

Prince Rupert, dreading above all things to be taken prisoner, and seeing that resistance would be, as their hostess said, vain, followed her into an adjoining room hung with arras.  Lifting this, she showed a large stone.  Beneath it, on the floor was a tile, in no way differing from the others.  She pressed it, and the stone, which was but slight, turned on a hinge, and disclosed an iron door.  This she opened with a spring, showing a small room within, with a ladder leading to another above.

“Mount that,” she said.  “You will find in the chamber above a large stone.  Pull the ladder up with you and lower the stone, which exactly fits into the opening.  Even should they discover this chamber, they will not suspect that another lies above it.”

Prince Rupert, taking a light from her hands, hastily mounted, followed by Harry, and pulled the steps after him, just as they heard the iron door close.  It needed the united strength of the prince and Harry to lift the stone, which was a large one, with an iron ring in the center, and to place it in the cavity.  Having done this, they looked round.  The room was about eight feet long by six wide, and lighted by a long narrow loophole extending from the ground to the roof.  They deemed from its appearance that it was built in one of the turrets of the building.

“That was a narrow escape, Master Harry,” the prince said.  “It would have been right bad news for my royal uncle if I had been caught here like a rat in a trap.  I wonder we heard nothing of a Roundhead force in this neighborhood.  I suppose that they must have been stationed at some place further north, and that the news of our passing reached them.  I trust that they have no suspicion that we are in the house; but I fear, from this sudden attack upon an undefended building, that some spy from the village must have taken word to them.”

Lady Sidmouth had just time to return to the hall when the doors gave way, and a body of Roundheads burst into the room.  They had drawn swords in their hands, and evidently expected an attack.  They looked round with surprise at seeing only Lady Sidmouth and her daughter.

“Where is the malignant Rupert?” the leader exclaimed.  “We have sure news that he rode, attended by an officer only, hither, and that he was seen to enter your house.”

“If you want Prince Rupert, you must find him,” the lady said calmly.  “I say not that he has not been here; but I tell you that he is now beyond your reach.”

“He has not escaped,” the officer said, “for the house is surrounded.  Now, madam, I insist upon your telling me where you have hidden him.”

“I have already told you, sir, that he is beyond your reach, and nothing that you can do will wring any further explanation from me.”