“I am taking part in no schemes, dear lady,” replied Wilton.  “I only come here to frustrate evil purposes.  I came furnished with authority, and accompanied by a Messenger of State, to deliver Lady Laura Gaveston, who, I understand, is at this very moment in this house.”

“That is most strange,” said the Lady Helen—­“I wrote to—­to him who—­who—­whom you saw me with; in short, to tell him that they had brought the poor girl here, never thinking that you, my boy—­”

“It was the person you speak of,” interrupted Wilton, “who told me of her being here.  One of his people is in the house with me at this present moment; but the Messenger has fled in the late affray.  I understand that a number of the men who brought her hither are to be here to-night:  we shall be then but two against many, if we delay; and it is absolutely necessary that we should find out where the lady is, and carry her off at once.”

“Oh!  I will find her in a moment,” replied the Lady Helen.  “But I know not whether they will suffer her to pass out of her chamber.”

At that moment, however, Plessis, and the personage whom he called Captain, entered the room in eager conversation.

“It will be ruin and destruction to me,” cried Plessis—­“I cannot permit it!  I cannot hear of it! nor can you manage it.  There are three men here, one in the house, and one at each gate.  You are only two.”

“But we are two men together, and two strong men, too,” replied the Captain, “and they are all separate.  So I tell you we will do it.”

“Oh, if you choose to use force, you may,” replied Plessis; “but the consequence be upon your own head.”

“Come, come, Plessis,” replied the other—­“you know you don’t like a noise and a piece of work more than any one else.  Do the matter cunningly, man, as you are accustomed to do.  Get the fellow in the hall, there, down quietly out of the passage into the brandy cellar—­I will follow him and lock him in.  When that’s done, all the rest is easy.”

Plessis smiled at a trick exactly suited to his taste; but he hesitated, nevertheless, at putting it in execution, lest the fact of his having taken any part therein should come to the knowledge of men, from whom, at different times, he derived considerable advantage.  Present evils, however, are always more formidable than distant ones, and Wilton bethought him of trying what a little intimidation would do with the good Frenchman.

“Listen to me, sir,” he said, in a stern tone.  “Instantly do what you are told, or take the consequences.  Here is my authority from the Secretary of State, to demand the person of this young lady from the hands of any one with whom I may find her.  A Messenger came down with me to High Halstow, with a warrant for the arrest of any person who may be found detaining her.  It is, however, my wish to do all things quietly, if you will allow me.  The Duke, her father, does not desire the business to be conducted with harshness—­”