‘Wait here, David,’l said, ‘I may want you;’ and I hastily took my hat, and went out to Tranter’s cottage. I thought I saw his face at the window as I passed, but when his housekeeper came to the door, she laughed in my face, and denied that he was at home. He had gone out, and probably would not be back till the next day. Evi dently Mr Tranter had taken precautions not to be spoken to on the subject. Ire turned home dejected and miserable. The housemaid was looking out for me as I reached the gate. Her mistress was taken ill; David had been sent to seek his wife, and I must go and fetch the doctor. At midnight things were still in suspense. The doctor and the nurse were in the house, but Jane was still in her trouble. The doctor talked cheerfully, but looked a little anxious. In one of the intervals when he came down stairs for a little refreshment I told him of the position in which I was placed. ‘You must keep them out,’ he said, ‘at all hazards. If my patient has anything to agitate her, it will be her death,’ I took David, who still remainedabout the premises, into consultation. He brightened up when I told him what I intended to do, and entered heart and soul into the enter prise. We were to stand a siege; it was necessary to lay our plans carefully, and there was short time for preparation. At any time after daybreak the enemy might be upon us. In the first place, as to the out works—the stable and coachhouse—these must be locked up, and the pony in some way got rid of, for it would be impossible to feed him during the blockade. David volun teered to ride off with the pony, and leave him with a friend up in the hills, among whose pastures he would be safe from pos sible capture. Then we must get rid of use less mouths. Cook and housemaid must go home for a holiday, and David undertook to get them out of the house. It would be my business to look to the inner defences of the citadel. The house was long and low, with a gable at each end, and a covered porch between. 