CHAPTER TWO.
SIR MORTON RECEIVES HIS GUEST.
"Father can't be pleased," thought the lad, as he hurried in through a heavy oaken door, strengthened by the twisted and scrolled iron bands of the huge hinges, and studded with great-headed nails.

This yielded heavily, as, seizing a ring which moved a lever, he raised the heavy latch, and for a moment, as he passed through, he hesitated about closing the door again upon the group below.

But as he glanced at the party, he hesitated no longer.

Their appearance begat no confidence, and the great latch clicked directly.
The next minute, he was hurrying along a dark stone passage, to spring up a few more stairs, leading into a corridor with a polished oaken floor, and mullioned windows looking down upon the courtyard; and as he reached the second, a bright, handsome girl, whose features proclaimed sisterhood, started out to meet him.
"Oh Ralph," she said, "who are those dreadful-looking men you have brought up ?" "Don't stop me, Min," he said hastily.

"Old soldiers who want to see father.