The dragoon glared at the doctor and then at his prisoner.  “Pah!” He thrust the lad into the hands of his men.  “Fetch him along to Bridgewater.  And make fast that fellow also,” he pointed to Baynes.  “We’ll show him what it means to harbour and comfort rebels.”

There was a moment of confusion.  Baynes struggled in the grip of the troopers, protesting vehemently.  The terrified women screamed until silenced by a greater terror.  The Captain strode across to them.  He took the girl by the shoulders.  She was a pretty, golden-headed creature, with soft blue eyes that looked up entreatingly, piteously into the face of the dragoon.  He leered upon her, his eyes aglow, took her chin in his hand, and set her shuddering by his brutal kiss.

“It’s an earnest,” he said, smiling grimly.  “Let that quiet you, little rebel, till I’ve done with these rogues.”

And he swung away again, leaving her faint and trembling in the arms of her anguished mother.  His men stood, grinning, awaiting orders, the two prisoners now fast pinioned.

“Take them away.  Let Cornet Drake have charge of them.”  His smouldering eye again sought the cowering girl.  “I’ll stay awhile — to search out this place.  There may be other rebels hidden here.”  As an afterthought, he added:  “And take this fellow with you.”  He pointed to Mr. Blood.  “Bestir!”

Mr. Blood started out of his musings.  He had been considering that in his case of instruments there was a lancet with which he might perform on Captain Hobart a beneficial operation.  Beneficial, that is, to humanity.  In any case, the dragoon was obviously plethoric and would be the better for a blood-letting.  The difficulty lay in making the opportunity.  He was beginning to wonder if he could lure the Captain aside with some tale of hidden treasure, when this untimely interruption set a term to that interesting speculation.

He sought to temporize.

“Faith it will suit me very well,” said he.  “For Bridgewater is my destination, and but that ye detained me I’d have been on my way thither now.”

“Your destination there will be the gaol.”

“Ah, bah!  Ye’re surely joking!”

“There’s a gallows for you if you prefer it.  It’s merely a question of now or later.”

Rude hands seized Mr. Blood, and that precious lancet was in the case on the table out of reach.  He twisted out of the grip of the dragoons, for he was strong and agile, but they closed with him again immediately, and bore him down.  Pinning him to the round, they tied his wrists behind his back, then roughly pulled him to his feet again.

“Take him away,” said Hobart shortly, and turned to issue his orders to the other waiting troopers.  “Go search the house, from attic to cellar; then report to me here.”