t. Every moment I grew colder and stiffer. If they
wanted me for a recruit they were going about it the wrong way. I would
not be frightened into joining them.

"Like the rest of us y' are a ruined man. Come, better your fortune. Duty
and pleasure jump together. James Montagu's son is not afraid to take a
chance," urged the Scotch Lord.

Donald Roy's eyes had fastened on me from the first like the grip-of
steel. He had neither moved nor spoken, but I knew that he was weighing me
in the balance.

"I suppose you will not be exactly in love with the wamey Dutchmen, Mr.
Montagu?" he asked now.

I smiled. "If you put it that way I don't care one jack straw for the
whole clamjamfry of them."

"I was thinking so. They are a different race from the Stuarts."

"They are indeed," I acquiesced dryly. Then the devil of mischief stirred
in me to plague him. "There's all the difference of bad and a vast deal
worse between them. It's a matter of comparisons," I concluded easily.

"You are pleased to be facetious," returned O'Sullivan sourly. "But I
would ask you to remember that you are not yet out of the woods, Mr.
Montagu. My Lord seems satisfied, but here are some more of us waiting a
plain answer to this riddle."

"And what may the riddle be?" I asked.

"Just this. What are you doing here?"

"Faith, that's easy answered," I told him jauntily. "I'm here by
invitation of Lord Balmerino, and it seems I'm not overwelcome."

Elphinstone interrupted impatiently.

"Gentlemen, we're at cross purposes. You're trying to drive Mr. Montagu,
and I'm all for leading him. I warn you he's not to be driven. Let us talk
it over reasonably."

"Very well," returned O'Sullivan sulkily. "Talk as long as you please, but
he doesn't get out of this room till I'm satisfied."

"We are engaged on a glorious enterprise to restore to these islands their
ancient line of sovereigns. You say you do not care for the Hanoverians.
Why not then strike a blow for the right cause?" asked Leath.

"Right and wrong are not to be divided by so clean a cut," I told him. "I
am no believer in the divine inheritance of kings. In the last analysis
the people shall be the judge."

"Of course; and we are going to put it to the test."

"You want to set the clock back sixty years. It will not do."

"We think it will. We are resolved at least to try," said Balmerino.

I shrugged my shoulders. "The times are against you. The Stuarts have
dropped out of the race