en Mr. Freeman left England.
This Colonel seems to care more for his wife and his beagles than for
affairs. He asked me much about young H. E., 'that bastard,' as he
called him; doubting my lord's intentions respecting him. I reassured
him on this head, stating what I knew of the lad, and our intentions
respecting him, but with regard to Freeman he was inflexible."

And another letter was from Colonel Esmond to his kinsman, to say that
one Captain Holton had been with him offering him large bribes to join,
YOU KNOW WHO, and saying that the head of the house of Castlewood was
deeply engaged in that quarter. But for his part he had broke his
sword when the K. left the country, and would never again fight in that
quarrel. The P. of O. was a man, at least, of a noble courage, and his
duty, and, as he thought, every Englishman's, was to keep the country
quiet, and the French out of it: and, in fine, that he would have
nothing to do with the scheme.

Of the existence of these two letters and the contents of the pillow,
Colonel Frank Esmond, who became Viscount Castlewood, told Henry
Esmond afterwards, when the letters were shown to his lordship, who
congratulated himself, as he had good reason, that he had not joined
in the scheme which proved so fatal to many concerned in it. But,
naturally, the lad knew little about these circumstances when they
happened under his eyes: only being aware that his patron and his
mistress were in some trouble, which had caused the flight of the one
and the apprehension of the other by the officers of King William.

The seizure of the papers effected, the gentlemen did not pursue their
further search through Castlewood House very rigorously. They examined
Mr. Holt's room, being led thither by his pupil, who showed, as the
Father had bidden him, the place where the key of his chamber lay,
opened the door for the gentlemen, and conducted them into the room.

When the gentlemen came to the half-burned papers in the brazier, they
examined them eagerly enough, and their young guide was a little amused
at their perplexity.

"What are these?" says one.

"They're written in a foreign language," says the lawyer. "What are you
laughing at, little whelp?" adds he, turning round as he saw the boy
smile.

"Mr. Holt said they were sermons," Harry said, "and bade me to burn
them;" which indeed was true of those papers.

"Sermons indeed--it's treason, I would lay a wager," cries the lawyer.

"Egad!