“Tarleton may not ride tonight,” he said, and moved off a step or two; then, turning:  “But, damn him, I think he will,” said he.  And walked away, swinging his light as furiously as a panther thrashes his tail.

By the pointers of my watch it now approached three o’clock in the morning, and the storm was nothing abating.  I had entirely despaired of the Sagamore’s coming, and was beginning to consider the sorry pickle which this alarm must leave us in if Tarleton’s Legion came upon us now; and that with our widely scattered handfuls we could only pull foot and await another day to find our Sagamore; when, of a sudden there came a-creeping through the darkness, out o’ the very maw of the storm, a slender shape, wrapped to the eyes in a ragged scarlet cape.  I knew her; but I do not know how I knew her.

“It is you!” I exclaimed, hastening forward to draw her under shelter.

She came obediently with me, slipping in between the lanterns and among the horses, moving silently at my elbow to the farther shed, which was empty.

“You use me very kindly,” I said, “to venture abroad tonight on my behalf.”

“I am abroad,” she said, “on behalf of my country.”

Only her eyes I could see over the edge of the scarlet cloak, and they regarded me very coldly.

“I meant it so,” I said hastily, “What of the Sagamore?  Will he come?”

“He will come as I promised you.”

“Here?” I said, delighted.  “This very night?”

“Yes, here, this night.”

“How good—­ how generous you have been!” I exclaimed with a warmth and sincerity that invaded every fibre of me.  “And have you come through this wild storm all the long way afoot?”

“Yes,” she said, calmly, “afoot.  Since when, sir, have beggars ridden to a tryst except in pretty fables?”

“Had I known it, I would have taken horse and gone for you and brought you here riding pillion behind me.”

“Had I desired you to come for me, Mr. Loskiel, I should not have troubled you here.”

She loosened the shabby scarlet cloak so that it dropped from below her eyes and left the features exposed.  Enough of lantern light from the other shed fell on her face for me to see her smooth, cool cheeks all dewy with the rain, as I had seen them once before in the gloom of the coming storm.

She turned her head, glancing back at the other shed where men and horses stood in grotesque shadow shapes under the windy lantern light; then she looked cautiously around the shed where we stood.

“Come nearer,” she motioned.

And once again, as before, my nearness to her seemed for a moment to meddle with my heart and check it; then, as though to gain the beats they lost, every little pulse began to hurry faster.

She said in a low voice: 

“The Sagamore is now closeted with Major Lockwood.  I left him at the porch and came out here to warn you.  Best go to him now, sir.  And I will bid you a—­ good night.”