ng in preparing your arms, and collecting such articles as you
may require."

After Roger's sturdy refusal to join the Duke, the young Battiscombes
treated him with unusual coldness, barely indeed with civility; he,
therefore, wishing them good-evening, mounted his horse and made his way
towards the manor-house.

"Have you heard anything more about the ships Alice saw last night?"
asked his father.

"Yes," answered Roger, and he described who had landed from them.
"Stephen has joined the Duke, and wanted me much to do the same, but I
declined till I had consulted you."

"You acted wisely, Roger," said his uncle. "It may be that he will gain
the day, it may be that he will lose it; but certain it is that he who
brings civil war into a land brings a heavy curse."

"And has Stephen actually joined the Duke of Monmouth?" exclaimed Alice,
turning pale. "I urged him not to join so desperate a cause as that
which the Duke's must be when he comes to oppose constituted authority."

"But he does not consider it desperate," said Roger, "but a right noble
cause; and judging by the enthusiasm exhibited by the people, if the
Duke has brought arms to put into their hands, and officers to drill
them, he may speedily have a large army under his command."

"That remains to be seen," observed the Colonel. "I had hoped not to
witness another civil war in our country."

Mr Willoughby had all the time kept silence. Although, perhaps,
thankful that his son had not joined Monmouth's standard, he rejoiced
that the Duke had safely landed and that the people showed enthusiasm in
his cause. His belief was that the whole of the west of England would
quickly be up in arms, that the army of James would melt away, and that
a bloodless victory would be obtained over the tyrant. He made a remark
to that effect to the Colonel.

"I wish no ill to the Duke of Monmouth," he answered. "If he succeeds
he will be called the deliverer of our country, if he fails he will be
branded as a traitor. It all depends on the prudence with which he
acts, no less than on the purity of his views. If his cause is so
intrinsically just, he is likely to obtain general support. If not,
should he fail, he will be guilty of the ruin and destruction of those
who engage with him. Undoubtedly the Duke, like you and others,
believes that the whole of the west country, including the noblemen and
gentlemen, will rise in his favour, that a rising will take place in