Enter ELSWORTH.

ELSWORTH.  Where can Rose be, to be sure?  The guests are leaving, and I must find her to give them a good-night.  Ah, Major!  Have you seen my daughter?

Enter LIEUTENANT ELSWORTH.

LIEUTENANT ELSWORTH.  Sir, sir, do you not know that Rose has clandestinely been introduced into the presence of Armstrong—­

ELSWORTH.  No! has she, though?  You d-o-n-t say so!  Let me whisper a word, Master Harry—­a beautiful joke—­it was Bridget—­

LIEUTENANT ELSWORTH.  No, sir, it was Rose herself.

CLEVELAND.  The young man is right.

ELSWORTH.  How!  What do you say?

CLEVELAND.  Simply, sir, by the richest scheme in the world, this rebel’s union with your daughter is rendered impossible.  I told you the marriage was a jest—­a sham.  It was not—­quite the contrary.

ELSWORTH.  Do I understand you to say, sir, that you have really tricked Captain Armstrong into a marriage with—­

CLEVELAND.  To be sure, sir.  It will be the sport of the whole army.  The disgrace you feared cannot now occur.  Miss Elsworth can never be that rustic’s wife—­thanks, sir, to my splendid idea.  Aha, it was a glorious thought, glorious!

ELSWORTH.  Now, damn all respect for the red-coats.

CLEVELAND.  Ha!

ELSWORTH.  Sir, you have been guilty of a vile scheme.  You have put my house to a dishonourable use.  You have betrayed one of my guests infamously.  Oh! that one of His Majesty’s officers could lend himself to a scheme like this.

CLEVELAND.  Why, sir, I thought—­

Enter ROSE and WALTER, back.

ELSWORTH.  That I would sanction such a plot.  Major Cleveland, your conduct has made me half a rebel.  It was devilish—­diabolical, sir!

CLEVELAND.  But—­

Enter METCALF, dancing.

METCALF.  Armstrong has escaped.

CLEVELAND.  Escaped!  Again!  Impossible!

METCALF.  He has, or may I be birched.

Enter LIEUTENANT MARVIN.

MARVIN.  Sir, the prisoner has escaped—­and the woman—­

CLEVELAND.  By heaven! it shall not be—­a hundred pounds reward for him!

ROSE. [Approaching with WALTER.] I claim the reward, Major
Cleveland.

CLEVELAND.  You!  The prisoner here!  How came he free?

ROSE.  By your signet.  The sentry knew and acknowledged it.

CLEVELAND.  Miss Elsworth?

ROSE.  Mrs. Armstrong, by your kind assistance.

CLEVELAND.  Ha!  What do you mean?

ROSE.  Permit me to present you to my husband.

CLEVELAND.  Your husband!  What does this mean?

ROSE.  I did have the trump card, sir, and have taken the trick.

CLEVELAND.  I am bewildered—­I cannot understand—­

ROSE.  Can’t you see? [Imitating him.] “How would you like to make twenty pounds?  Ha, ha, ha! only as jest! a splendid jest! we’ll have such a run on the Captain!  As I want pastime, and my prospects—­”