Hayslope Grange | Page 8

will stay here to-night?" said his friend.
"Yes, to-night," sighed Harry; "for I must see Maud to-morrow."
Clayton hoped that Master Drury's anger might be somewhat appeased
by the next day, and he resolved to see him, if possible, when he went

to the house for his things, which in the hurry and confusion had been
left behind.
Anxiety kept Harry awake as much as his strange quarters that night;
but Clayton, who had many times slept out in the open field when upon
the march, did not feel much inconvenience from sleeping on the barn
floor. He awoke about the usual time, but would not stir, for fear of
disturbing Harry. At length, however, one of the men pushed open the
door, and not recognising the intruders, at once ordered them off in a
loud, rough voice.
Harry started to his feet, crying, "Maud, Maud, I will save you!" and
then rubbed his eyes to see if it was true that the man was staring and
Gilbert laughing at him.
"Marry, but you have been dreaming," said Clayton, rising and
stretching himself.
"Is it my young master?" uttered the man, slowly, as if scarcely able to
believe the evidence of his eyes.
"Yes, it is me; Harry Drury," said Harry. "Have you heard how
Mistress Maud is this morning?" he asked, anxiously.
"But sadly, I hear," said the man, shaking his head. "Marry, but 'tis a
bad business, this, Master Harry," he added.
"Will you go and tell one of the maids to ask Mistress Maud to come to
me?" said Harry, in a tone of impatience.
"Mistress Maud has not yet left her room," said the man. "I heard----"
"Then go and ask if I can see her in the painted gallery," interrupted
Harry. "Stop!" he cried, as the man was moving off; "you are not to go
to Mistress Mabel, but ask Jane, or one of the other maids."
The man gave a knowing nod, and departed on his errand, determined
to accomplish it too, for he had no doubt but that the visit to Maud was

to ask her to intercede with Master Drury; and Harry being a general
favourite with the servants, they had all felt sorry for his dilemma,
although they did not understand it.
He slowly followed the man round to a small entrance at the side of the
house, and presently the door opened and Jane beckoned him to enter.
A staircase close to the door led direct to one end of the painted gallery,
which was close to Maud's room, and here Harry sat down in the broad
window-seat to wait her coming. He did not have to wait long. In a
minute or two her chamber-door opened, and the young lady stepped
into the gallery, looking very pale and sad, but almost as stern as
Master Drury himself.
"Oh, Maud, forgive me!" burst forth Harry, starting forward when he
saw her.
But she coldly waved him off.
"I have nothing to forgive," she said.
Harry paused in amazement.
"Prithee, tell me what is the matter," he said; "are you ill, Maud?"
"Prithee, no," said Maud, lightly (which was not quite the truth).
Harry advanced a step nearer, and Maud drew further back.
"Do not seek to touch me," she said, proudly. "I give not my hand to
traitors."
"But I am not a traitor," said Harry. "I have followed your advice, and
told my father I must go on in----"
"Followed my advice!" repeated Maud. "By my faith, I never advised
you!"
"Nay, nay, did you not understand me when I conversed with you?"

"I understand you now, Master Drury," interrupted Maud, "but I choose
not to hold converse with a traitor;" and with a haughty gesture she
turned and went into her own room, leaving Harry overwhelmed with
surprise and distress.
He went down-stairs, and out of the little unused door into the sunny
fields, without knowing where he was, and he wandered up and down,
trying to collect his bewildered thoughts, and think over what had
happened, until Gilbert Clayton overtook him.
He had collected the few belongings he brought with him to Hayslope
Grange, and now carried them in his hand, but he had utterly failed in
his mission to Master Drury. The old man was more bitter this morning
than he had been the previous evening, and vowed he would never own
his son again, unless he took service under King Charles.
"Let us get away from here as fast as we can," said Harry, as his friend
joined him.
"Have you seen Mistress Maud?" asked Gilbert, hoping that she at least
had spoken a word of comfort to him.
"Prithee, do not ask me," said Harry, in a hoarse voice. "I am an outcast
from my father's house;