“It was Satuhday, suh, when my sehvant and I ahhived in Tohonto, and I met my deah sisteh in-law.  At once, I sent Maguffin back by rail with the hohses to Collingwood, giving them Sunday to recoveh from the effects of the jouhney, tyavel by rail being vehy hahd on hohses.  This mohning, or, ratheh I should say yestehday mohning, Madame Du Plessis and I went to Collingwood by rail, where my sehvant had secuhed her two places in the mail caht, and I had the honouh of escohting her to this pleasant place, and of beholding my chahming niece for the fihst time.  I was indeed vehy fohtunate in ahhiving when I did, to be able to contribute a little to the secuhity of Bridesdale.”

“You are doubtless aware, Colonel, that our enemies of to-night are in unlawful possession of Miss Du Plessis’ property?”

“Suh, you astonish me.  As her natuhal guahdian, I cannot, though in a foheign land, allow that foh a day, suh.”

“We think, at least Squire Carruthers thinks, of attacking them in force, after the double inquest to-morrow.”

“Then, Mr. Cohistine, I shall claim the privilege of joining yoah fohce as a volunteeh.  I wish the ground were fit foh cavalhy manoeuvehs, suh.”

“We may need a few mounted men, as we hope to discover a masked road.”

“That is vehy intehesting, suh.  Will you kindly explain to me the chahacteh of the ground?”

The lawyer told all that he knew of the region, from hearsay and from personal experience.  The supposed masked road, the actual rocky ascent covered with felled timber, an abatis, as the colonel called it, the access by water, and the portcullis at the narrows, were objects of great interest to the old soldier.  He enquired as to the extent of the means of transportation, the probable numbers of the available force, and other particulars; and, when the weary Squire returned and bade all good people go to rest, if they could not sleep, in view of past wakefulness and the morrow’s work, he begged, as a perfectly fresh man, to be excused and left in command of the guard, adding:  “I shall study out a thyeefold convehging attack on the enemy’s position, by wateh and by land, with cavalhy, infantry and mahines.”  The guard-room company joined in a laugh at the military joke, after which they dispersed, with the exception of the Captain, whom it was a pity to disturb, and Carruthers, who lay down upon a sofa, while the colonel went out to inspect his posts.

The pedestrians occupied a large, double-bedded room at the right corner of the house, above the verandah.  The dominie was sleeping peacefully, but the lawyer had not even removed his clothes, with the exception of his boots, if they may be so called, as he lay down upon his bed to rest, with a window half open in front of him.  Precisely at the moment when, the night before, he had discovered the incipient conflagration, there came to his nostrils the smell of unctuous fire.  Pocketing his loaded revolver, he stepped out of the