himself, Robert.'

"After which he raised himself upon his elbow and said, 'Life--life, is
it so hard to untie the knot?' Then a twinge of agony crossed over his
face, and afterwards came a great clearing and peace, and he was gone.

"King George's soldiers entered with a warrant for him even as he died,
and the same moment dropped their hands upon my shoulder. I was kept in
durance for many days, and was not even at the funeral of my benefactor;
but through the efforts of the provost of the university and some good
friends who could vouch for my loyal principles, I was released. But
my pride had got a setback, and I listened with patience to my mother's
prayers that I would not join the King's men. With the anger of a youth,
I now blamed his Majesty for the acts of Sir John Godric's enemies. And
though I was a good soldier of the King at heart, I would not serve him
henceforth. We threshed matters back and forth, and presently it was
thought I should sail to Virginia to take over my estate. My mother
urged it, too, for she thought if I were weaned from my old comrades,
military fame would no longer charm. So she urged me, and go I did, with
a commission from some merchants of Glasgow, to give my visit to the
colony more weight.

"It was great pain to leave my mother, but she bore the parting bravely,
and away I set in a good ship. Arrived in Virginia, I was treated with
great courtesy in Williamsburg, and the Governor gave me welcome to
his home for the sake of his old friend; and yet a little for my own, I
think, for we were of one temper, though he was old and I young. We were
both full of impulse and proud, and given to daring hard things, and my
military spirit suited him.

"In Virginia I spent a gay and busy year, and came off very well with
the rough but gentlemanly cavaliers, who rode through the wide, sandy
streets of the capital on excellent horses, or in English coaches, with
a rusty sort of show and splendour, but always with great gallantry. The
freedom of the life charmed me, and with rumours of war with the French
there seemed enough to do, whether with the sword or in the House of
Burgesses, where Governor Dinwiddie said his say with more force than
complaisance. So taken was I with the life--my first excursion into the
wide working world--that I delayed my going back to Glasgow, the more so
that some matters touching my property called for action by the House of
Burgesses, and I had to drive the affa