Rupert found that there was no occasion to go before the magistrate, for the alderman having sent down early to the watch house to inquire at what hour their presence would be required, found that the prisoners had been rescued, on their way to the watch house, by a party of armed men.

“We are,” the alderman said, “well aware who was the leader of the assailants, the man who escaped.  Sir Richard Fulke is a ruined gamester, and is a distant relation of Dame Vanloct, whom my young friend was yesterday visiting.  Knowing the wealth of Mistress Von Duyk’s good father, he has sought to mend his ruined fortune by a match with her.  At the urgent request of Mistress Von Duyk I wrote to him, saying that his attentions were unpleasing to her, and that they must be discontinued, or that she could no longer visit at Dame Vanloct’s where she usually had met him.  This was a week since.  He replied courteously, regretting that the deep devotion he felt was unrequited, but withdrawing from the undertaking of trying to win her, and promising that henceforth she should be no longer troubled with his presence when she visited Dame Vanloct.  This was of course done to lull our suspicion.  When the chair was stopped yesterday, Maria at once recognized his voice.  As they dragged her from the chair, he said: 

“‘Quick! hurry her down to the boat.’

“There is no doubt upon my mind that he intended to carry her off, and to compel her to marry him.  I bethought me at first of applying to the secretary of state for a warrant for his arrest to answer for this outrage, but Mistress Maria leaves us tomorrow for Holland, and the process would delay her departure, and would cause a scandal and talk very unpleasant to herself, and which would greatly offend my good friend her father.  Had the men in custody been brought up this morning, there would have been no choice but to have carried the matter through.  It was then a relief to us to find that they had escaped.  I have told you this, young sir, as your due after having rescued Mistress Von Duyk from so great a peril.  Now, as to yourself, believe me if my friendship and assistance can in any way advantage you, they are at your service.  Even of your name I am yet in ignorance.”

Rupert thanked the worthy alderman, and then stated that he was the grandson of Colonel Holliday, of Windthorpe Chace, in Derbyshire, and had come up to London to wait upon the Earl of Marlborough, who had promised him his protection and a cornetcy in a regiment of horse for service in Holland.

“In that case, sir,” Mistress Von Duyk said, “it is like you may come to Dort.  If so, believe me that my father, whom I shall tell how much we are indebted to you, will not be backward in manifesting his gratitude for the great service that you have rendered to his daughter.”

“How were you thinking of passing the day?” the alderman asked.

“I had no plan,” Rupert said.  “In truth, I am waiting to call upon the Earl of Marlborough until Master Haliford has fashioned me a suit of clothes fitted for such an occasion; he has promised them for this evening.”