that I know of," answered Churchill, "and I would have come at
once when you wrote; but, to say the truth, I was up late last night,
and slept till nearly noon this morning.--But, bless my soul!" he
continued, turning towards Wilton--to that gentleman's utter
surprise and astonishment "is not this my good friend, Mr. Wilton
Brown, your lordship's secretary?" and advancing a step or two, he
shook Wilton heartily by the hand.
"How is the young lady?" he continued. "I hope you got quite safe to
London with your fair charge?"
The countenance of Arden, the Messenger, presented a ludicrous
picture of disappointment and consternation. Wilton was certainly
even more surprised than himself; but he did not suffer his face to
betray any expression of wonder, though, it must be owned, he felt a
strong inclination to laugh. He replied, however, calmly to
Churchill's question,--
"I thank you very much, sir: she got quite safe to London. At an
early hour this morning I left her with her father."
"Then, Captain Churchill," said the Earl, "you are neither more nor
less than the person who rendered my young friend Wilton, here, such
very good assistance last night."
Churchill made a low and complimentary bow, replying, "Oh, my lord,
you are too good! The assistance that I rendered him was little
enough, I can assure you. His own gallantry and good conduct did much
more than I could possibly do.--But I hope and trust my good friend,
Arden, the Messenger, there, is not waiting for me; for I can assure
your lordship that, though I was upon a little frolic last night,
which I might not very well like to have inquired into, it was
certainly nothing of a Jacobitical nature, as you may well suppose,
and as my good friend, Mr. Brown, here, can testify."
"I do not in the slightest degree suspect you, Churchill," replied
the Earl. "The only point was to ascertain whether it was you or Sir
George Barkley who was with my friend Wilton, here, last night;
Arden, the Messenger, who has behaved very ill throughout the whole
business, positively swearing, this morning, that Wilton was
accompanied along part of the road by Sir George Barkley, the
well-known traitor, and that he, Wilton, my private secretary,
connived at and aided his escape."
"I can assure your lordship," replied Churchill, in a perfectly grave
tone, "on my honour as a gentleman, I have the most perfect
certainty, and could prove, if necessary, that the charge is entirely
and totally false; that Sir George Barkley