assassination of the late king should be forthwith restored to
them, it having been clearly proved that they have been falsely
accused of the said crime, and that her majesty is satisfied that
these gentlemen are her true and loyal subjects.

"I think I may say," the duke continued with a smile, "that no
affair of state has ever been so promptly conducted and carried
through."

"We feel how deeply indebted we are, for our good fortune, to your
kindness, your grace," Charlie said. "We know that, but for you,
months might have elapsed, even years, before we could have
obtained such a result, even after we had the confession of
Nicholson in our hands."

"I am glad, in every way, to have been able to bring this about,"
the duke said. "In the first place, because I have been able to
right a villainous piece of injustice; in the second, because those
injured were loyal gentlemen, with no fault save their steadfast
adherence to the cause of the Stuarts; and lastly, because one of
these gentlemen was my own good friend, Mat Jervoise, of whose
company I have so many pleasant recollections.

"I hope that, as soon as you have informed your fathers that their
names are cleared, and their property restored, you will think of
what I said, and will decide to quit the service of Sweden, and
enter that of your queen.

"An officer fighting for a foreign monarch is, after all, but a
soldier of fortune, however valiantly he fights. He is fighting for
a cause that is not his own, and, though he may win rewards and
honours, he has not the satisfaction that all must feel who have
risked their lives, not for gold, but in the service of their
country. But I do not want any answer from you on that head now. It
is a matter for you to decide upon after due thought. I only say
that I shall go out, early in the spring, to take command of the
army; and that, if you present yourselves to me before I leave, I
shall be glad to appoint you on my personal staff, with the same
rank you now hold.

"You can now leave the country without any farther trouble. As to
the affair of the man Dormay, a messenger has been sent off, this
afternoon, with an order to the magistrates at Lancaster, to arrest
him on the charge of suborning false evidence, by which the lives
of some of her majesty's subjects were endangered; and of forging
letters whereby such evil designs might be furthered. I do not
suppose I shall see you again before you sail, for tomorrow we