mantle over his shoulders.  He then opened the door and walked quietly forth.  The guards were too much occupied with the proceedings in the parade ground to do more than glance round, as the apparent preacher departed.  Harry strode with a long and very stiff step, and with his figure bolt upright, to the gate of the parade ground, and then passing through the crowd who were standing there gaping at the proceedings within, he issued forth a free man.

For awhile he walked at a brisk pace, and then, feeling secure from pursuit, slackened his speed; keeping westward through the city, he passed along the Strand and out into the country beyond.  He wore his beaver well down over his eyes, and walked with his head down as if meditating deeply, in order to prevent any passers-by from observing the youthfulness of his face.  When he arrived at the village of Chelsea, he saw, in front of a gentleman’s house, a horse hitched up to a hook placed there for that purpose.  Conceiving that for a long journey four legs are much more useful than two, and that when he got beyond the confines of London he should attract less suspicion upon a horse than if striding alone along the road, he took the liberty of mounting it and riding off.  When he had gone a short distance he heard loud shouts; but thinking these in no way to concern him, he rode on the faster, and was soon beyond the sound of the voices.  He now took a northerly direction, traveled through Kensington, and then keeping east of Acton, where he knew that some Parliament troops were quartered, he rode for the village of Harrow.  He was aware that the Royalists had fallen back to Oxford, and that the Parliament troops were at Reading.  He therefore made to the northwest, intending to circuit round and so reach Oxford.  He did not venture to go to an inn, for although, as a rule, the keepers of these places were, being jovial men, in no way affected toward the Commons, yet he feared meeting there persons who might question and detain him.  He obtained some provision at a small village shop, in which he saw a buxom woman standing behind her counter.  She appeared vastly surprised when he entered and asked for a manchet of bread, for the contrast between his ruddy countenance and his Puritan hat and bands was so striking that they could not fail to be noticed.  The good woman looked indeed too astonished to be able to attend to Harry’s request, and he was obliged to say, “Mother, time presses, and I care not to be caught loitering here.”

Divining at once that he was acting a part, and probably endeavoring to escape the pursuit of the Commons, the good woman at once served him with bread and some slices of ham, and putting these in the wallets of the saddle, he rode on.

The next morning, in riding through the village of Wickham, his career was nearly arrested.  Just as he passed a sergeant followed by three or four Parliament soldiers came out from an inn, and seeing Harry riding past, addressed him: