ng south," he said.

"Certainly we are," Mr. Jervoise said. "Why not? That is our only
chance of safety. They will, in the first place, suspect us of
having doubled back to the hills, and will search every farmhouse
and cottage. Our only hope of escape is to ride either for Bristol,
or one of the southern ports."

"I must go back," Sir Marmaduke said doggedly. "I must kill that
scoundrel John Dormay, before I do anything else. It is he who has
wound this precious skein, in order to entrap us, expecting, the
scoundrel, to have my estates bestowed on him as a reward."

"It were madness to ride back now, Sir Marmaduke. It would cost you
your life, and you would leave Charlie here fatherless, and with
but little chance of ever regaining the estate. You have but to
wait for a time, and everything will right itself. As soon as the
king comes to his own, your estates will be restored, and then I
would not seek to stay your hand, if you sought vengeance upon this
cunning knave."

"Besides, father," Charlie put in, "much as he deserves any
punishment you can give him, you would not kill cousin Celia's
husband and Ciceley's father. When the truth is all made known, his
punishment will be bitter enough, for no honest man would offer him
a hand, or sit down to a meal with him.

"Ciceley has been as a young sister to me, and her mother has ever
been as kind as if she had been my aunt. I would not see them
grieved, even if that rogue came off scot free from punishment;
but, at any rate, father, I pray you to let it pass at present.
This time we have happily got you out of the clutches of the Whigs,
but, if you fell into them again, you may be sure they would never
give us another chance."

Sir Marmaduke still sat irresolute, and Charlie went on:

"Besides, father, Mr. Jervoise has risked his life in lingering in
Lancashire to save you, and the brave fellows who aided us to
rescue you have risked theirs, both in the fray and afterwards, if
their share in it should ever be known; and it would not be fair to
risk failure, after all they have done. I pray you, father, be
guided by the opinion of your good friend, Mr. Jervoise."

Sir Marmaduke touched his horse's flank with his heel.

"You have prevailed, Charlie. Your last argument decided me. I have
no right to risk my life, after my good friends have done so much
to save me. John Dormay may enjoy his triumph for a while, but a
day of reckoning will surely come.

"Now, tel