332 A JACOBITE EXILE

whole story was false, and had been told entirely at the
dictation of John Dormay, and from fear of the conse-
quence to himself if he refused to obey his orders. When
he had finished Tony’s wife was called in, and she made
her mark and her husband signed his name as witnesses to
the signature of Robert Nicholson.

“Now, I hope I may have something to eat,” the man
said recklessly. ‘I am ready to tell my story to whomso-
ever you like, but am not ready to be starved.”

“Give him food, Tony,” Charlie said, “and keep a sharp
look-out after him. We will go across and show this paper
to the duke.”

“TI will bring the matter at once before the council,” the
general said, when Charlie gave him the document and
briefly stated its contents. “‘There is a meeting at three
o’clock to-day. I shall see the queen previously, and will
get her to interest herself in the matter, and to urge that
justice shall be done without any delay. I will arrange
that the man shall be brought before the council at the
earliest date possible. If you will come here this evening
I may be able to tell you more. Come at eight. I shall
be in then to dress, as I take supper at the palace at nine.”

“T have ventured to promise the man that he shall not
be hung, my lord.”

“You were safe in doing so; the rogue deserves the
pillory or branding, but as he was almost forced into it,
and was the mere instrument in the hands of another, it is
not a case for hanging him. He might be shipped off to
the plantations as a rogue and a vagabond.. What are you
smiling at?”

“T was thinking, sir, that as you said there were a good
many of that class in the army, the man might have the
option of enlisting given him.”

“And so of getting shot in the Netherlands instead of
getting hung at Tyburn, eh? Well, I will see what I can
do.”