A CONFESSION 343

remain there some weeks. I may say that it was the desire
to get your affair finished before we left town that conduced
somewhat to the speed with which it has been carried
through.”

After again thanking the duke most warmly for his kind-
ness, and saying that they would lay his offer before their

‘fathers, and that their own inclinations were altogether in
favour of accepting it, the young men took their leave.

“Tt is unfortunate about Dormay.”

“Most unfortunate,” Harry said.

“T think if we start to-morrow morning, Harry, we shall
be in time. ‘There is no reason why the messenger should
travel at any extraordinary speed, and as he may be detained
at Lancaster, and some delay may arise before officers are
sent up to Lynnwood to make the arrest, we may be in
time. We must take a note of the date, it is one we shall
remember all our lives. It is the 25th of November, and
we will keep it up as a day of festivity and rejoicing as long
as we live.”

“That will we,” Harry agreed. “It shall be the occa-
sion of an annual gathering of those who got into trouble
from those suppers at Sir Marmaduke’s. 1 fancy the others
are all in France, but their friends will surely be able to let
them know as soon as they hear the good news. I think
we shall have a stormy ride to-morrow, the sky looks very
wild and threatening.”

“Tt does, indeed; and the wind has got wp very much in
the last hour.” :

“Ves, we are going to have a storm, beyond all doubt.”

The wind got up hourly, and when before going to bed
they went to pass an hour at a tavern, they had difficulty in
making their way against it. Several times in the night
they were awoke by the gusts, which shook the whole house,
and they heard the crashing of falling chimney-pots above
the din of the gale. They had arranged to start as soon as