over her: and even Johanna looked rather shocked, and forgot her broken bones.

"Bring her in here, master," said a woman, pointing to an open door; "she will soon come round again."

A little crowd was collecting, and to escape curious eyes, as well as to get some relief for his charge, Mr. Nye, with Ralph's assistance, carried Alice into the woman's best room. The usual simple remedies were a long time before they took any effect upon the unconscious maiden: she did not seem injured, only stunned, by the pieces of falling timber. Her friends stood by eagerly watching for the first signs of returning life; and Ralph drew a deep breath, when a soft, warm tinge spread over her cheek, and her lips opened with the faintest of sighs.

"Thank God, it was only the semblance of death!" ejaculated Mr. Nye; "life comes back like a sunrise over the snow."

"She'll do well now, masters," said the woman. "And how is the other lady?"

"I hope you are not hurt?" said Mr. Nye kindly, turning to Johanna, who was arranging her disordered hair and dress.

"I feel bruised and shaken from head to foot," she replied petulantly; "but because I did not faint, Sir Ralph thought I did not need assistance."

Ralph felt rather guilty of impoliteness, and so was silent, while the woman busied herself with attending to the two maidens.

"I fear, mistress," she said, "your dress is spoiled; but perhaps if you brushed it, or maybe turned-"

"The dress is of little consequence," interrupted Johanna haughtily; "I shall not wear it again; my maid can have it."

"Well, 'tis a miracle you were not all blown up," said the woman, returning to Alice, who smiled gratefully in acknowledgment of her kind fussiness. Then dropping a curtesy to the minister, she continued: "I ask pardon, sir; but I must make bold to say that the fireball was a judgment on you all for not going to church to pray like other decent folks. I am not for letting the King into the town-don't think that, gentlemen; but I like to go to heaven the same way as my father did. No doubt, sir, you are an uncommon preacher, and I'd like to hear ye in Trinity Church, but I will have nought to do with schismatics. There now, the lady is looking better. Colonel Lister doats on his daughter, as everybody knows; she is too pretty and good, I think, to take up with Puritans."

"Do you feel any pain, Mistress Alice?" whispered Ralph, when he thought she could speak.

"No," she murmured; "I am only giddy and sick; I shall be better directly."

"What do you know amiss of the Puritans?" asked Mr. Nye, addressing the woman.

"I know no ill of them, saving this matter of schism."

"Well, my good woman, if the life be holy, the religion that rules that life cannot be a very bad thing. You think the fireball was a judgment; I take it, that it was a special interposition of Providence that prevented it falling until all the people had gone from the room. Even Mistress Alice has got no bodily hurt, so I cannot. think we are under the Lord's displeasure. Now, Alice, how will you get home?"

"I shall walk presently, if Sir Ralph can wait," replied Alice, sitting up, but looking very pale and bewildered.

"It were best to let your father know of this mischance," said Mr. Nye, "lest some one carry him a false ropert. I will away and find him."

However, he had not gone many minutes before he returned with the Colonel himself, who had been told by some officious person "that he had seen his daughter carried out lifeless." The Colonel caught Alice in his arms, unable to utter a word at first, so great was his relief and joy to find her alive and unhurt. Ralph was dismissed to take the Colonel's place, and thus deprived of the pleasure of assisting Alice home. But there was no fear of Johanna's accompanying them again to the Meeting-House. Every one talked of the wonderful escape they had had, and it soon reached Lady Wharton's ears; she was very much displeased with her daughter, and desired her never to repeat such folly and demean herself by going to such vulgar places.

By the evening Alice appeared almost as well as usual, but although the cannonading ceased for a few hours that night, she could get no sleep. At five o'clock next morning she heard the sound of soldiers' feet marching rapidly beneath her window, and she had hardly risen from her bed, when Lucy rushed into the chamber, exclaiming, "They are going out to fight, Mistress Alice! and if our soldiers don't win, we shall all be murdered."

Alice began to dress directly, while Lucy stood trembling beside her without offering her any help. "There is only one thing we womenfolk can do, Lucy, and that is to pray for the success of our men; instead of wringing your hands, better go to your prayers." The girl left the room, not to follow her lady's advice, but to look out for Stephen's parting salute.

Before going downstairs, Alice looked into Johanna's room, and was thankful to see her still sleeping soundly. The Colonel was up and equipped when his daughter appeared. She evaded his anxious inquiries after her health and the reason for her heavy eyes, and eagerly asked about the expedition for which he was preparing.

"The troops," said he, "have become so clamorous to be led against the King's forces, that Sir John Meldrum is going to sally forth and attack them. We shall turn our enemy's attention from the town at least for a few hours, and stop the descent of their murderous instruments. And Alice, child, perhaps we shall bring back some wounded men; it would be well to confer with good Mistress Crowle, and speak to the Mayor on the subject. The garrison is quite unprovided with accommodation for the sick, and they must be nursed and cared for."

"I will see after it, father," said Alice, with a shudder; but whatever fears she had, she would not trouble him with them, aud wished him adieu with a smile. Old Simon came back at the last moment, to assure her that he would keep close to his master's side while his horse had a leg to stand upon; and he begged her not to despond, for they were sure to win.

It was a very painful day for the besieged; from the walls and the house-tops the conflict could be seen at times, and as the tide seemed turning first for one side and then for the other, shrieks and cries, shouts of triumph, and groans of despair were to be heard in the streets; until both little armies disappeared in the direction of Beverley, and the inhabitants of Hull strained their eyes in vain, and waited in almost dumb suspense for the return of Meldrum and his followers.

Mistress Crowle was uneasy and depressed, for her only son was on Meldrum's muster-roll, but she readily fell in with the Colonel's suggestions about preparing for disasters, and on being applied to, the Mayor and Governors decided to appropriate a few unused chambers in the Manor Palace for a hospital. "It is hard to keep from watching," she said to Alice, as they diligently went on with their work of spreading mattresses on the floor, and bringing in supplies of linen and water; "but we can help our soldiers more by making ready for their return, though God grant they won't want these things!"

A few tears fell on the lint Alice was scraping. "We must do the chief part of the nursing ourselves, Mistress Crowle," she said. "Who can we trust in this place so full of valuable stores? Those whom we can depend on are nearly all over-worked providing for the well and hearty."

"Thou art not fit for such labour, sweet one," replied Mistress Crowle, putting her hand lovingly on Alice's shoulders; "the sight and dressing of wounds is enough to try the strongest nerves, and thine have been cruelly shaken."

Alice tried to smile, but the unexpected allusion to her grief overcame her. She covered her face, and wept violently. It was the first time Mistress Crowle had referred, even distantly, to

Andrew since the sad news came, and she had no idea of reviving poor Alice's sorrow by her sympathising words. She, too, had loved Andrew. From his childhood she had taken a deep interest in his welfare. He was dear to all the members of her household, and they mourned for him as for a brother.

"Dear child, I had no thought of paining thee. I was mostly thinking of thy weak little body and thy tender heart; it would bleed to witness the sufferings that follow after a fight."

"I can bear more than you suppose," said Alice, recovering herself; "what better solace can I find than in ministering to others, and trying to solace their pains? What better work can a soldier's daughter find to do ?"

"Well, perhaps thou art right, Alice. I never doubted thy skill, and strength may come if there be need for it."

At length the watchers saw the cloud of dust that betokened the coming of many horsemen. On they came, and the banners floating aloft soon proclaimed that their own soldiers were returning in triumph. Then such a shout rent the air, and the bells rang out a joyful peal. As Sir John Meldrum and his men entered the gates, the people clustered round them like bees, and another shout was raised when they learned that not a single man had fallen; that the King's forces had been routed, and pursued to the gates of Beverley; and that thirty prisoners had been taken. The hospital was not needed this time, but the tower of the Town Hall, used as a prison, was already overcrowded.

The victorious officers, much elated with their success, gave a supper that evening, but Colonel Lister was not present. He knew they would drink great quantities of wine-a custom that did not accord with his sober humour, and, to his thinking, unsuited to the melancholy prospects of the nation; he could not be merry over the fall of his own countrymen, some of them his former friends. Ralph had seen his brother in the melée, but they mutually avoided coming into personal contact, for neither could forget the days of childhood and of happy companionship, or the mother that had loved and nursed them both.

The Royalists were very much disheartened by this repulse, and Charles saw how little dependence could be placed on his train bands; still the assault on the walls was resumed before many hours had passed away, with the same results, for no damage of any importance was done to the town. In London, Parliament had ordered the drums to beat up for raising two thousand soldiers, to be sent to Hull by sea, and sailors to man two ships of war to scour the Humber; for Hotham had been sending urgent appeals for men and provisions. The King must have felt mortified as he saw these reinforcements land. He had

no means of guarding the river, so it was useless to think of reducing Hull by starvation.

A few days after the first sally Meldrum led his troops out again, charged the enemy with great fury, and drove them from their works, slaying forty-eight men, and taking one hundred and fifteen prisoners. This advance was followed up by an attack upon Anlaby, a village four miles from Hull, of which the Royalists had taken possession, and which they stoutly defended for some time; but Meldrum forced them to abandon this post, leaving behind them a great quantity of ammunition which had been deposited in a barn. The barn was fired by the assailants, who again returned in triumph to the garrison.

Baffled, disappointed, and misled, the King called a council of war, and it was resolved that His Majesty and the Court should return to York, the train bands be dismissed, and the remainder of the army should retire to Beverley. This signal failure disheartened many of the King's friends, while it gave greater confidence to the Parliament. And thus the first siege of Hull was raised.

CHAPTER XXIV.-A LISTER TO THE RESCUE!

The departure of the King did not result in the cessation of hostilities; for Colonel Boynton, Hotham's nephew, soon drove the royal troops from Beverley; but within the walls comparative quietness was restored, the thunder of artillery had ceased, and the inhabitants were no longer in momentary danger of their lives from the destructive fireballs. The outworks were repaired and strengthened, and persons in Hull, suspected of sympathising with the Royalists, were strictly watched. The country people were again cautiously admitted, bringing their merchandise to the market for sale. They had suffered very great loss and damage during the contest, and their villages and lands had been sadly injured by the late inundation. Sir Clifford Wharton, though proclaimed a traitor so lately in the streets of Beverley, ventured to show his face boldly in the little town, and fetched home his wife and daughter. Johanna was reluctant to go, notwithstanding the terrors of a besieged palace. On the whole, she had not been ill entertained, but as neither Alice nor her father urged her to stay, she could not well prolong her visit.

"If the enemy should return," said the Colonel to Sir Clifford on parting, "and make your own abode unsafe for the ladies, my house is open for their accommodation. They are welcome to such

fare and lodging as it affords."

Alice and Kate both sincerely hoped there might be no necessity for entertaining these refugees again, and as for Ralph and Will, they openly rejoiced at their departure.