u have my best thanks and sincere wishes for your happiness. Then I
will not intrude upon you any more, except to give you my address in
case of need. You have made warm friends by your conduct, and if ever
you require their assistance it will not be withheld."

The priest gave his address upon a piece of paper and then came to me.

"Our creeds are not exactly the same, but you will not, my son, refuse
my blessing?" said he, putting his hand upon my head.

"Oh, no," said I, dropping on my knees, "I receive it all in
thankfulness."

"May God bless you, my son," said he; with emotion--and he then quitted
the cell.

What with the previous excitement when my liberation was announced, and
the parting with the kind priest, my feelings were so powerful, that, as
soon as I was alone, I gave vent to them in a flood of tears. As soon
as I was more composed, I rose from the bench, put my necessaries into
my valise, and summoned the gaoler, to whom I made a handsome present,
thanking him for his kindness during my incarceration. I then shook
hands with him, feed the turnkey who had attended upon me, and in a
minute more I was clear of the Tower gates. How my heart heaved when I
was once more in the open air.

I looked around me, and perceived that many men were busy in erecting a
scaffolding. My heart sank as I beheld them, as I felt certain what it
was for; but, to verify my opinion, I turned to an old woman who had a
sort of stall from which she dispensed mead to the populace, and
inquired of her for what the scaffold was being erected.

"It's for the men who are to be executed to-morrow for aiding the
Jacobites to escape," said she. "Won't your worship take a glass of
mead this morning?"

"I am not thirsty," I replied, as I walked hastily away with my valise
upon my shoulders.

A stranger to this part of London, I hardly knew where to direct my
steps; I walked past the square before the Tower, until I came into a
street called Catherine Street, where a tavern met my view, and into it
I entered immediately,--glad, as it were, to hide myself; for I felt as
if all the world looked upon me as a person just discharged from prison.
I obtained good entertainment there, and slept there that night. The
next morning, the host having provided me two good horses, and a
youngster to take them back, I set off for Liverpool, and after five
days' travel without adventure I arrived at the town, and proceeded
direct to the hous