A CONFESSION 3381

constrained to confess the grievous wrong he did to our
fathers and other gentlemen at the bidding of, and for
money received from, John Dormay.”

“T do not need any time to make up my mind,” the
highwayman said. “Iam certainly not going to be hung
for the advantage of John Dormay, who has paid me poorly
enough, considering that it was through me that he came
into a fine estate. I take it that you give me your word of
honour, that if I make a clean breast of it and stick to my
story afterwards, this other business shall not be brought
up against me.”

“Ves, we both promise that on our word of honour.”

“Very well then; here goes.”

The story he told was in precise accordance with the
suspicions that his hearers had entertained. He had been
tramping through the country, sometimes pilfering, some-
times taking money as a foot-pad. He had one day met
John Dormay and demanded his money; he was armed
only with a heavy cudgel, and thought Dormay was de-
fenceless. The latter, however, produced a pistol from
his pocket, and compelled him to drop his stick, and then
taking him by the collar made him walk to his house. He
had asked him questions as to his previous life, and had
then given him the choice of going to jail or of acting
under his instructions, in which case he would be well
rewarded. Naturally he had chosen the second alternative.
And having him completely under his thumb, John Dor-
may had made him sign a paper acknowledging his attempt
at highway robbery upon him.

The rest of the story was already known to his hearers.
He had several times overheard the conversations in the
dining-room, but had gathered nothing beyond talk of what
would be done if the Pretender came over. John Dormay
had taught him the story of the assassination plot, and had
given him the letters to hide. He now swore that the