ea on the subject, and to do away with any
impression he might have made. He had a clear, straightforward way of
looking at things, the characteristic of the best type of Englishmen.
He had been led into scrapes, he had done things for which he was sorry,
and he was even now suffering the consequences of doing what was wrong,
but instead of attempting to get out of the difficulty by twisting and
turning and prevarication and falsehood, he always endeavoured to escape
by going straightforward, boldly telling the truth, and, if needs be,
doubling his fist, or drawing his sword and fighting his way out. Thus
the sophistries and arguments which he heard brought forward by the
Romish priest, far from having any effect upon him, made him more than
ever inclined to oppose the system which Rome endeavours to spread over
the world. He still waited on in the hope that the two guests would
take their departure, but they seemed in no way disposed to do so, and
at length Mr Harwood remarked that the shades of evening were
approaching, and that he would have some difficulty in finding his way
through the forest, if he delayed much longer. This hint was too clear
not to be taken, and, very reluctantly, he at length rose to pay his
adieus to Alethea. She wished him good-bye, expressing a hope to see
him on his return to Nottingham, in a friendly tone, but gave him no
opportunity of saying any thing to her alone. He bowed to the two other
guests, and Mr Harwood accompanied him to the door, pointing out to him
the way he was to take to reach the spot where he had left his horse.

"Can she be aware of the character of those people," thought Jack to
himself, as he walked on through the wood, "or the plots which, it
seems, are hatching? I wish Mr Harwood had nothing to do with them! I
wonder how that he, a Protestant gentleman, can engage in such a matter.
I hope that I shall hear nothing of them where I am going; and I
heartily wish I had not helped the enemies of our good Protestant king
by conveying those letters! Still, what has been done cannot be undone;
and having been trusted by Mr Harwood, I cannot attempt to give
information of what, I fear, is taking place, even though I might enable
him to escape. I suspect those two men I met just now are engaged in
it. I like neither of them, least of all that hypocritical-looking
Master Stirthesoul, as he called himself. I wish Pearson had nothing to
do with him. Indeed, Master Pe