32 A JACOBITE EXILE

“No, sir, there is nothing new. My father thought that
I had better be away to-day in case any trouble should
arise out of what took place yesterday, so I rode over to
see Harry. I promised to do so one day this week.”

“That is right. Does Sir Marmaduke think then that
he will be arrested?”

“T don’t know that he expects it, sir, but he says that it
is possible.”

“T do not see that they have anything to go upon, Char-
lie. As we agreed last night, that spy never had any
opportunity of overhearing us before, and certainly he can
have heard nothing yesterday. he fellow can only say
what many people know, or could know if they liked, that
half a dozen of Sir Marmaduke’s friends rode over to take
supper with him. ‘They can make nothing out of that.”

“No, sir; and my father said that, at the worst, it could
be but the matter of a fine.” ,

“Quite so, lad; but I don’t even see how it could
amount to that. You will find Harry somewhere about
the house; he has said nothing to me about going out.”

Harry Jervoise was just the same age as Charlie, and
was his greatest friend. ‘They were both enthusiastic in
the cause of the Stuarts, equally vehement in their ex-
pressions of contempt for the Dutch king, equally anxious
for the coming of him whom they regarded as their lawful
monarch. They spent the morning together as usual; went
first to the stables and patted and talked to their horses;
then they played at bowls on the lawn; after which they
had a bout of sword-play; and having thus let off some of
their animal spirits, sat down and talked of the glorious
times to come when the king was to have his own again.
Late in the afternoon Charlie mounted his horse and rode
for home. When within half a mile of the house a man
stepped out into the road in front of him.

“Hullo, Banks, what is it—no bad news, I hope?” And