of Nemesis at work against her. "That
was a sort of practice in your late husband's time--you know very well
what I mean--but God be thanked it is not so now."

Came next the reluctant evidence of Carpenter and his wife, and after
that there was yet a fourth equally futile attempt to drag from Dunne
an admission that her ladyship was acquainted with Hicks's share in the
rebellion. But if stupid, Dunne at least was staunch, and so, with a
wealth of valedictory invective, Jeffreys dismissed him, and addressed
at last the prisoner, inviting her to speak in her own defence.

She rose to do so, fearlessly yet gently.

"My lord, what I have to say is this. I knew of nobody's coming to my
house but Mr. Hicks, and for him I was informed that he did abscond by
reason of warrants that were out against him for preaching in private
meetings; for that reason I sent to him to come by night. But I had
never heard that Nelthorp was to come with him, nor what name Nelthorp
had till after he had come to my house. I could die upon it. As for
Mr. Hicks, I did not in the least suspect that he had been in the army,
being a Presbyterian minister that used to preach and not to fight."

"But I will tell you," Jeffreys interrupted her, "that there is not one
of those lying, snivelling, canting Presbyterian rascals but one way or
the other had a hand in the late horrid conspiracy and rebellion."

"My lord, I abhorred both the principles and the practices of the late
rebellion," she protested; adding that if she had been tried in London,
my Lady Abergavenny and many other persons of quality could have
testified with what detestation she had spoken of the rebellion, and
that she had been in London until Monmouth had been beheaded.

"If I had known the time of my trial in the country," she pursued, "I
could have had the testimony of those persons of honour for me. But,
my lord, I have been told, and so I thought it would have been, that
I should not have been tried for harbouring Mr. Hicks until he should
himself be convict as a traitor. I did abhor those that were in the plot
and conspiracy against the King. I know my duty to my King better, and
have always exercised it. I defy anybody in the world that ever knew
contrary to come and give testimony."

His voice broke harshly upon the pause. "Have you any more to say?"

"As to what they say to my denying Nelthorp to be in the house," she
resumed. "I was in very great consternation and fear o