spread before him. He started slightly when
he saw Neal, but recovered himself instantly. He came forward, shook
hands with Hope, and then said to Neal--

"You and I know each other, Mr. Ward. I trust your father is in good
health, and that all is well at Dunseveric?"

Neal, though he had schooled himself beforehand to greet Finlay
cordially, shrank back. He felt a violent loathing for the man. It
became physically impossible for him to take Finlay's hand in his, to
speak smooth words to this hypocrite who inquired of the good health of
the very people he had betrayed. Hope saw the hesitation and tried to
cover it with a casual remark. Finlay also saw it and misinterpreted it.

"I hope," he said, "that you do not bear me any malice on account of the
little trouble there was between us long ago in the north. You ought to
forgive and forget, Mr. Ward. We are both workers in the same cause now.
At least, I suppose you are a United Irishman like your father or you
wouldn't come here with James Hope to-day."

"Neal Ward," said Hope, "is going to the meeting at Donegore to-morrow
evening."

Neal recovered himself and held out his hand to Finlay.

There was another knock at the door of the house. Finlay started
violently and ran to the window.

"It's all right," he said, "it's only a lad I keep employed. I sent
him out an hour ago to find out what was going on in the streets and to
bring me word."

He returned to Hope with a smile on his face, but he had grown very
white, and his hands were trembling slightly. A boy burst into the room,
followed by the woman who had opened the door for Hope and Neal.

"Master," he cried, "they've brought out Kelso into the High Street. The
soldiers are dragging him along. They are going to flog him."

The boy's eyes were wide with excitement. Having delivered his message,
he turned and fled. A flogging was too great a treat for Finlay's boy
to miss. The woman, without staying to don hat or shawl, went after him.
Finlay called to her to stay. She shouted her answer from the threshold.

"Do you think I'm daft to be sitting my lone in your kitchen and them
flogging a clever young man in the next street?"

Then the hall-door slammed. Finlay turned to Hope. He was whiter than
ever, and his whole body shook as if with an ague.

"Kelso will tell," he said. "Kelso knows, and they'll flog the secret
out of him. He'll tell, I know he will. He must tell; no man could help
it."

If Finlay