DENOUNCED 45

Charlie took the advice and started among the hills, not
returning until the mid-day meal was ready. Before he had
finished his dinner there was a tap at the door, and then a
young fellow whom he knew to be employed in Mr. Jer-
voise’s stables looked in.

Charlie sprang to his feet.

“What's the news?” he asked.

“Master Harry bade me tell you, sir, that a magistrate
and four constables and ten soldier men came to-day at nine
o’clock. He had returned but a half-hour when they rode
up. They had an order for the arrest of Mr. Jervoise, and
have been searching the house high and low for papers.
No one is allowed to leave the place, but Master Harry
came out to the stables and gave me his orders, and I did
not find much difficulty in slipping out without their notic-
ing me. Mr. Harry said that he had no news of Mr.
Jervoise, nor any other news save what I have told you.
He bade me return at once, as later on he may want to send
me again. I was to be most careful that no one should see
me when I got back, and if I was caught I was on no
account to say where I had been to.”

The farmer insisted upon the young fellow sitting down
at the table and taking some food before he started to
go back. He required no pressing, but as soon as his
hunger was satisfied he started again at a brisk run,
which he kept up as long as Charlie’s eye could follow him
down the valley.

Although the boy by no means wished Mr. Jervoise to be
involved in his father’s trouble, Charlie could not help
feeling a certain amount of pleasure at the news. He
thought it certain that if his father escaped he would have
to leave the country, and that he would in that case take
him as companion in his flight. If Mr. Jervoise and Harry
also left the country, it would be vastly more pleasant for
both his father and himself. Where they would go to or