ll that was said, or done, coming naturally and
spontaneously from the heart. But, for the first time in their lives,
events had now occurred which threatened a jarring of the feelings
between them, if they did not lead to acts which must inevitably place
them in open and declared hostility to each other. No wonder, then, that
both looked at the future with gloomy forebodings, and a distrust,
which, if it did not render them unhappy, at least produced uneasiness.

CHAPTER VI.

"The circle form'd, we sit in silent state,
Like figures drawn upon a dial-plate;
Yes ma'am, and no ma'am, uttered softly show,
Every five minutes how the minutes go."

COWPER.

It is scarcely necessary to tell the reader that England, as regarded
material civilization, was a very different country a hundred years
since, from what it is to-day. We are writing of an age of heavy wagons,
coaches and six, post-chaises and four; and not of an era of
MacAdam-roads, or of cars flying along by steam. A man may now post down
to a country-house, some sixty or eighty miles, to dinner; and this,
too, by the aid of only a pair of horses; but, in 1745 such an
engagement would have required at least a start on the previous day;
and, in many parts of the island, it would have been safer to have taken
two days' grace. Scotland was then farther from Devonshire, in effect,
than Geneva is now; and news travelled slowly, and with the usual
exaggerations and uncertainties of delay. It was no wonder, then, that a
Jacobite who was posting off to his country-house--the focus of an
English landlord's influence and authority--filled with intelligence
that had reached him through the activity of zealous political
partisans, preceded the more regular tidings of the mail, by several
hours. The little that had escaped this individual, or his servants
rather, for the gentleman was tolerably discreet himself, confiding in
only one or two particular friends at each relay, had not got out to the
world, either very fully, or very clearly. Wycherly had used
intelligence in making his inquiries, and he had observed an officer's
prudence in keeping his news for the ears of his superior alone. When
Sir Gervaise joined the party in the drawing-room, therefore, he saw
that Sir Wycherly knew nothing of what had occurred at the north; and he
intended the glance which he directed at the lieutenant to convey a
hearty approval of his discretion. This forb