spoke cheerfully as he came
in.

"I have had a busy two days of it, boys, as you may guess. I have
no particularly good news to tell you, but, on the other hand, I
have no bad news. I was in time to warn all our friends, and when
the soldiers came for them in the morning, it was only to find that
their nests were empty.

"They have been searching the houses of all Sir Marmaduke's
tenants, Charlie, and questioning man, woman, and child as to
whether they have seen you.

"Ah! Here is supper, and I am nearly famished. However, I can go on
talking while I eat. I should have been here sooner, but I have
been waiting for the return of the messenger I sent to Lancaster.

"Yesterday morning there was an examination of your father,
Charlie, or rather, an examination of the testimony against him.
First the two letters that were discovered were put in. Without
having got them word for word, my informer was able to give me the
substance of them. Both were unsigned, and professed to have been
written in France. The first is dated three months back. It alludes
to a conversation that somebody is supposed to have had with Sir
Marmaduke, and states that the agent who had visited him, and who
is spoken of as Mr. H, had assured them that your father was
perfectly ready to join, in any well-conceived design for putting a
stop to the sufferings that afflicted the country, through the wars
into which the foreign intruder had plunged it, even though the
plan entailed the removal of the usurper. The writer assured Sir
Marmaduke of the satisfaction that such an agreement on his part
had caused at Saint Germains, and had heightened the high esteem in
which Sir Marmaduke was held, for his long fidelity to the cause of
his majesty. It then went on to state that a plan had been already
formed, and that several gentlemen in the south were deeply pledged
to carry it out, but that it was thought specially advisable that
some from the north should also take part in it, as, from their
persons being unknown near the court, they could act with more
surety and safety. They would, therefore, be glad if he would take
counsel, with the friends he had mentioned, as to what might seem
to them the best course of proceeding. There was no occasion for
any great haste and, indeed, some weeks must elapse before the blow
was struck, in order that preparations should be made, in France,
for taking instant advantage of it.

"The rest of the letter was to the s