‘I’ve done with him!’ cried James.  ‘Can madness go further?’

‘James!  I am ashamed of you,’ cried the Giraffe, with great stateliness.  ’Here are the enemy threatening our coasts, and our towns full of disaffection and sedition; and when our yeomanry are lukewarm enough to go off grouse-shooting instead of attending to their duty, what is to become of the whole country if somebody does not make an exertion?  The tranquillity of all England may depend on the face our yeomanry show.’

’On Lieutenant Fitzjocelyn’s yellow moustache!  Pray how long have you been in the secret of these heroic intentions?’

‘Ever since I came home.’

‘We all knew that he meant to go out if he could,’ said Mary, in a tone calculated to soothe Jem, and diminish Clara’s glory in being sole confidante, ’but we did not think him well enough.  I hope it will do him no harm.’

‘Exertions in a good cause can do no harm!’ boldly declared Clara; then, with sudden loss of confidence, ‘do you really think it will?’

‘Just cripple him for life,’ said James.

‘Mr. Walby wished him not to attempt riding,’ said Mary.  ’He thinks any strain on the ankle just now might hurt him very much; but it may be over caution.’

‘Mr. Walby is an old woman,’ said Clara.  ’Now, Jem, you said so yourself.  Besides, it is all for his duty!  Of course, he would risk anything for the good of his country.’

‘Don’t say another word, Clara,’ exclaimed James, ’or you will drive me distracted with your folly.  One grain of sense, and even you would have stopped it; but neither you nor he could miss a chance of his figuring in that masquerade dress!  Look at the sun, exactly like a red-hot oven!  We shall have him come home as ill as ever!’

Clara had another milder and more sorrowful version of the scolding from her grandmother, but Lord Ormersfield escaped the day’s anxiety by being so busy with Richardson, that he never emerged from the study, and did not miss his son.

It was an exceedingly sultry day, and the hopeful trusted that Louis would be forced to give in, before much harm could be done; but it was not till five o’clock that the hoofs were heard on the gravel; and Jem went out to revenge himself with irony for his uneasiness.

‘I hope you are satisfied,’ he said, ‘dulce est pro patria mori.’

Louis was slowly dismounting, and as he touched the ground gave a slight cry of pain, and caught at the servant’s arm for support.

‘No more than I expected,’ said James, coming to help him; and at the same moment Lord Ormersfield was heard exclaiming—­

‘Fitzjocelyn—! what imprudence!’

‘Take care,’ hastily interrupted James, finding Louis leaning helplessly against him, unable to speak or stand, and his flushed cheek rapidly changing to deadly white.