DENOUNCED 43

could be confronted with us face to face in the court. We
must let the matter rest at present.”

“Would it be possible to get my father out of prison,
sir? Iam sure I can get a dozen men from among the
tenants and grooms who would gladly risk their lives for
him.”

“Lancaster jail is a very strong place,” Mr. Jervoise
said, “and I fear there is no possibility of rescuing him
from it. Of course, at present we cannot say where the
trial will take place. A commission may be sent down to
hold a special assizes at Lancaster, or the trial may take
place in London. At any rate nothing whatever can be
done until we know more. I have means of learning what
takes place at Lancaster, for we have friends there as well
as at most other places. When I hear from them the exact
nature of the charge, the evidence that will be given, and
the names of those accused of being mixed up in this pre-
tended plot, I shall be better able to say what is to be done.
Now I must mount and ride without further delay. I have
to visit all our friends who met at Lynnwood, and it will
take me until to-morrow morning to see and confer with
them.”

A few minutes after Mr. Jervoise had ridden off, his son
and Charlie also mounted. A man went with them with a
supply of torches, for although Harry knew the road—
which was little better than a sheep-track—well enough
during the day, his father thought he might find it difficult
if not impossible to follow it on a dark night. They con-
gratulated themselves upon the precaution taken before
they had gone very far, for there was no moon, the sky was
overcast, and a drizzling rain had begun to come down.
They could hardly see their horses’ heads, and had pro-
ceeded but a short distance when it became necessary for
their guide to light a torch. It took them, therefore, over
two hours to reach the mountain farm.