reputation as a scholar--I am no
priest--but your fortune which I so imprudently assumed."

"Very well then," said the duke; "after the death of my father; when the
Duke of York, my uncle, ascended the throne under the title of James
II., I entered into a conspiracy against him. I shall not seek to
justify my conduct; years of reflection have made things clear to me. I
know now that I was as culpable as I was insane; the young Duke of
Argyle was the soul in this plot. All this was carried on under the very
eyes of the Prince of Orange, then a stadtholder, now King of England.
Argyle knew my views of the Protestant action, my ambition, my
resentment against James II.; he had no trouble in associating me with
his plans. At once, owing to my name and influence, I was at the head of
the conspiracy. I had news from England which only waited my presence
there to overthrow the throne of the papist king to proclaim me king in
his place. I departed from the Texel with three vessels transporting
soldiers whom I had recruited. Argyle, having preceded me in Scotland,
had paid with his head for the audacity of his attempt. I landed in
England at the head of a number of devoted partisans. I realized then
how greatly I had been deceived. Three or four thousand men at the most
joined the handful of brave men who were pledged to my cause, and among
others were Mortimer, Rothsay and Dudley. The son of Monck, the young
Duke of Albemarle, advanced against me at the head of a royal army; and
I, desiring to bring fortune to the point, made a decisive move. I
attacked the enemy at Sedgemore, near Bridgewater; I was beaten in spite
of the prodigies of valor shown by my little army, and, above all, by my
cavalry, commanded by the brave Lord George Sidney." In pronouncing this
name, the voice of the prince failed him, and deep emotion was depicted
upon his face.

"George Sidney! my second father! my benefactor!" cried Angela. "It was
in fighting for you he was killed! it was at that battle, then, that he
was killed? This is the secret you have hidden from me?"

The duke bent his head, and after a few minutes' silence, said, "You
will know all, very soon, child! Our rout was complete. I wandered off
at hazard; my head had a price upon it. I was seized the day after this
fatal defeat and conducted to the Tower of London. My case was tried.
Convicted of high treason, I was condemned to death."

"Oh," cried Angela, throwing herself into the duke