at the appointed hour, as the clock of the abbey was striking, they gave three gentle knocks at the door of the house. it was immediately opened by tony, who held a candle in his hand, closed the door quietly behind them, and then led them into a parlour.

"well, tony, i suppose all has gone well, as we have not heard from you."

"there was nothing to tell you, sir, and, indeed, i have been mightily busy. in the first place, i got two days' leave from the courts, and went down myself, in a light cart, with the boys and two men. that way i made sure that there should be no mistake as to the houses the boys were to watch. the two men i sent on, ten miles beyond the farthest tavern there to watch the road, and if any horseman goes by tonight, to track him down.

"this evening i came here. i brought with me one of my comrades from the courts, and we told the good woman the character of the lodger we had seen leave the house a quarter of an hour before. she almost fainted when we showed her our badges, and said we must arrest him, on his return, as a notorious highwayman and breaker of the laws. she exclaimed that her house would be ruined, and it took some time to pacify her, by saying that we would manage the job so quietly that no one in the house need know of it, and that we would, if possible, arrange it so that the place of his arrest should not be made public.

"at that, she at once consented to do all that we wished her. we searched his room carefully, and found some watches, rings, and other matters, that answered to the description of those stolen from a coach that was stopped near dorking, three weeks ago. my mate has taken them away. as she was afraid that a scuffle in the bedroom might attract the attention of the four other gentlemen who are lodging here, i arranged that it should be done at the door. in that case, if there was any inquiry in the morning, she could say that it was some drunken fellow, who had come to the house by mistake, and had tried to force his way in.

"so she put this parlour at our disposal, and, as i have got the shutters up and the curtains drawn, there is no fear of his noticing the light, for, as we may have some hours to wait, it is more pleasant to have a candle, than to sit in the dark."

"does she come down to let him in?" harry asked.

"no, sir, the door is left on the latch. she says he finds his way up to his room, in the dark, and the candle and a tinderbox are always placed handy for him there. we will take our shoes off presently, and, when we hear footsteps come up to the door and stop, we will blow out the candle and steal out into the passage, so as to catch him directly he closes the door. i have got handcuffs here, some rope, and a gag."

"very well, then. i will undertake the actual seizing of him," charlie said. "you slip on the handcuffs, and you, harry, if you can find his throat in the dark, grip it pretty tightly, till tony can slip the gag into his mouth. then he can light the candle again, and we can then disarm and search him, fasten his legs, and get him ready to put in the cart."

the hours passed slowly, although tony did his best to divert them, by telling stories of various arrests and captures in which he had been concerned. the clock had just struck five, when they heard a step coming up the quiet street.

"that is likely to be the man," tony said. "it is about the hour we expected him."

he blew out the candle and opened the door quietly, and they went out into the passage. a moment later the step stopped at the door, the latch clicked, and it was opened. a man entered, and closed the door behind him. as he did so charlie, who had marked his exact position, made a step forward and threw his arms round him.

the man gave an exclamation of surprise and alarm, and then struggled fiercely, but he was in the hands of one far stronger than himself. a moment later, he felt that his assailant was not alone, for he was grasped by the throat, and at the same time he felt something cold close round his wrists. there was a sharp click, and he knew that he was handcuffed.

then a low voice said, "i arrest you, in the name of the queen, for being concerned in the robbery of the portsmouth coach at dorking."

then a gag was forced between his teeth. bewildered at the suddenness of the attack, he ceased to struggle, and remained quiet, in the grasp of his captors, till there was the sound of the striking of flint and steel hard by. then tony came out of the parlour with a lighted candle, the highwayman was lifted into the room, and the door was shut.

he then saw that his captors were three in number. there were two young gentlemen, and a smaller man, who, as he looked at him, held out a badge, and showed that he was an officer of the law. his pistols and sword were removed, then his pockets were searched, and two watches and three purses, with some rings and bracelets, were taken out and laid on the table.

"it came off, you see," tony said to charlie.

"well, master nicholson, to use one of your aliases, of which you have, no doubt, a score or more, you may consider yourself under arrest, not only for the robbery of the portsmouth coach three weeks ago, but of the north coach last evening."

the prisoner started. it seemed impossible to him that that affair should be known yet, still less his connection with it.

"you know what that means?" tony went on grimly. "tyburn. now i am going to make you a little safer still. you have been a hard bird to catch, and we don't mean to let you slip through our fingers again."

so saying, he bound his arms closely to his side with a rope, and then, with a shorter piece, fastened his ankles securely together.

"now i will fetch the cart."

he had been gone but five minutes, when they heard a vehicle stop at the door. the others lifted the highwayman by his shoulders and feet, carried him out, and laid him in the cart. tony closed the door quietly behind them, and then jumped up by the side of the driver, who at once started the horse at a brisk trot. they crossed westminster bridge, and, after another ten minutes' drive, stopped at a small house standing back from the road, in a garden of its own.

"we will carry him in, tony," charlie said, "if you will get the door open."

they carried him in through the door, at which a woman was standing, into a room, where they saw, to their satisfaction, a blazing fire. the prisoner was laid down on the ground. leaving him to himself, charlie and his friends sat down to the table, which was laid in readiness. two cold chickens, and ham, and bread had been placed on it.

"now, tony, sit down. you must be as hungry as we are."

"thank you, gentlemen. i am going to have my breakfast in the kitchen, with my wife."

as he spoke, the woman came in with two large tankards full of steaming liquid, whose odour at once proclaimed it to be spiced ale.

"well, wife, we have done a good night's work," tony said.

"a good night's work for all of us," charlie put in. "your husband has done us an immense service, mrs. peters, and, when our fathers come to their own again, they will not forget the service he has rendered us."

when they had made a hearty meal, tony was called in again.

"now, tony, we will proceed to business. you have got pen and ink and paper, i suppose?"

"i have everything ready, sir. i will clear away this table, so as to have all in order."

when this was done, the highwayman was lifted up and placed in a chair, and the gag removed from his mouth.

"you don't remember us, i suppose, my man?" charlie began. "the last time i saw you was when i brought my stick down on your head, when you were listening outside a window at lynnwood."

an exclamation of surprise broke from the prisoner.

"yes, i am charlie carstairs, and this gentleman is harry jervoise. by the way, i have made a mistake. i have seen you twice since then. the first time was in a wayside tavern, some twelve miles beyond barnet, nine days ago. the second time was at another tavern in barnet. you will remember that a mischievous boy threw a stone, and broke one of the lattice panes of the window, where you were sitting talking over this little affair of the north coach."

a deep execration broke from the lips of the highwayman.

"now you see how we know all about it," charlie went on. "now, it entirely depends on yourself whether, in the course of another hour, we shall hand you over to a magistrate, as the leader of the gang who robbed the north coach, and took part in the robbery near dorking--we have found some of the watches and other plunder in your bedroom--or whether you escape trial for these offences. you may be wanted for other, similar affairs."

"yes, sir," tony put in. "now i see him, he answers exactly to the description of a man the officers have been in search of, for a long time. he goes by the name of dick cureton, and has been engaged in at least a dozen highway robberies, to my knowledge."

"you see," charlie went on, "there is no doubt whatever what will happen, if we hand you over to the officers. you will be hung at tyburn, to a moral certainty. there is no getting out of that.

"now, on the other hand, you have the alternative of making a clean breast of your dealings with john dormay, of how he put you at lynnwood to act as a spy, how you hid those two letters he gave you in my father's cabinet, and how he taught you the lying story you afterwards told before the magistrates at lancaster. after having this story written down, you will sign it in the presence of this officer and his wife, and you will also repeat that story before any tribunal before which you may be brought.

"i don't know whether this is a hanging matter, but, at any rate, i can promise that you shall not be hung for it. the duke of marlborough has taken the matter in hand, and will, i have no doubt, be able to obtain for you some lesser punishment, if you make a clean breast of it. i don't say that you will be let free. you are too dangerous a man for that. but, at any rate, your punishment will not be a heavy one--perhaps nothing worse than agreeing to serve in the army. you understand that, in that case, nothing whatever will be said as to your being dick cureton, or of your connection with these last coach robberies. you will appear before the court simply as robert nicholson, who, having met captain jervoise and myself, felt constrained to confess the grievous wrong he did to our fathers, and other gentlemen, at the bidding of, and for money received from, john dormay."

"i do not need any time to make up my mind," the highwayman said. "i am certainly not going to be hung for the advantage of john dormay, who has paid me poorly enough, considering that it was through me that he came into a fine estate. i take it that you give me your word of honour, that if i make a clean breast of it, and stick to my story afterwards, this other business shall not be brought up against me."

"yes, we both promise that on our word of honour."

"very well then; here goes."

the story he told was in precise accordance with the suspicions that his hearers had entertained. he had been tramping through the country, sometimes pilfering, sometimes taking money as a footpad. he had, one day, met john dormay and demanded his money. he was armed only with a heavy cudgel, and thought dormay was defenceless.

the latter, however, produced a pistol from his pocket, and compelled him to drop his stick; and then, taking him by the collar, made him walk to his house. he had asked him questions as to his previous life, and had then given him the choice of going to jail, or of acting under his instructions, in which case he would be well rewarded. naturally, he had chosen the second alternative. and, having him completely under his thumb, john dormay had made him sign a paper, acknowledging his attempt at highway robbery upon him.

the rest of the story was already known to his hearers. he had, several times, overheard the conversations in the dining room, but had gathered nothing beyond talk of what would be done, if the pretender came over. john dormay had taught him the story of the assassination plot, and had given him the letters to hide. he now swore that the whole story was false, and had been told entirely at the dictation of john dormay, and from fear of the consequence to himself, if he refused to obey his orders.

when he had finished, tony's wife was called in, and she made her mark, and her husband signed his name, as witnesses to the signature of robert nicholson.

"now, i hope i may have something to eat," the man said, recklessly. "i am ready to tell my story to whomsoever you like, but am not ready to be starved."

"give him food, tony," charlie said, "and keep a sharp lookout after him. we will go across, and show this paper to the duke."

"i will bring the matter, at once, before the council," the general said, when charlie gave him the document, and briefly stated its contents. "there is a meeting at three o'clock today. i shall see the queen previously, and will get her to interest herself in the matter, and to urge that justice shall be done without any delay. i will arrange that the man shall be brought before the council, at the earliest date possible. if you will come here this evening, i may be able to tell you more. come at eight. i shall be in then to dress, as i take supper at the palace, at nine."

"i have ventured to promise the man that he shall not be hung, my lord."

"you were safe in doing so. the rogue deserves the pillory or branding, but, as he was almost forced into it, and was the mere instrument in the hands of another, it is not a case for hanging him. he might be shipped off to the plantations as a rogue and a vagabond.

"what are you smiling at?"

"i was thinking, sir, that, as you said there were a good many of that class in the army, the man might have the option of enlisting given him."

"and so of getting shot in the netherlands, instead of getting hung at tyburn, eh? well, i will see what i can do."

at eight o'clock, they again presented themselves. the duke looked at them critically.

"you will do," he said. "put your cloaks on again, and come with me. where do you suppose that you are going?"

"before the council, sir," harry suggested.

"bless me, you don't suppose that your business is so pressing, that ministers have been summoned in haste to sit upon it. no, you are going to sup with the queen. i told her your story this afternoon. she was much interested in it, and when i informed her that, young as you both were, you had fought behind charles of sweden, in all his desperate battles, and that he had not only promoted you to the rank of captain, but that he had, under his own hand, given you a document expressing his satisfaction at your conduct and bravery, she said that i must bring you to supper at the palace. i told her that, being soldiers, you had brought with you no clothes fit for appearance at court; but, as at little gatherings there is no ceremony, she insisted that i should bring you as you are.

"my wife sarah went on half an hour ago, in her chair. there will probably be two others, possibly godolphin and harley, but more likely some courtier and his wife.

"you do not feel nervous, i hope? after being accustomed to chat with charles of sweden, to say nothing of the czar of russia, carstairs, you need not feel afraid of queen anne, who is good nature itself."

nevertheless, both the young men felt nervous. after being conducted up some private stairs, the duke led them into an oak-panelled room, of comparatively small size, lighted by numerous tapers, which displayed the rich hangings and furniture. a lady was sitting by the fire. a tall, handsome woman, with a somewhat imperious face, stood on the rug before her, talking to her, while a pleasant-looking man, who by his appearance and manner might have been taken for a country squire, was sitting opposite, playing with the ears of a spaniel lying on his knee.

the tall lady moved aside, as they entered, and charlie noticed a little glance of affectionate welcome pass between her and the duke--for the pair were devotedly attached to each other--then he bowed to the seated lady.

"madam," he said, "allow me to present to you the two young officers, of whose bravery charles of sweden has written so strongly, and whose parents have, with other gentlemen, been driven from the land by villainy."

the young men bowed deeply. anne held out her hand, and each in turn, bending on one knee, raised it to his lips.

"there," she said, "let that be the beginning and end of ceremony. this is not a court gathering, but a family meeting. i want to hear your stories, and i want you, for the time, to forget that i am anne of england. i know that your fathers have always been faithful to our house, and i hope that their sons will, ere long, do as good service for me as they have done for a foreign prince.

"you have not seen these gentlemen yet, sarah?"

"no, my husband has kept them to himself."

"i have had but little time to give them, sarah, and wanted it all, to question them on the swedish modes of warfare."

"and you thought i should be an interruption?

"i am glad to meet you both, nevertheless. since my husband likes you, i am sure to do so;" and she smiled pleasantly, as she gave a hand to each.

they were then introduced to the prince consort, george of denmark.

at this moment, supper was announced. the queen and the duchess went in together, followed by the four gentlemen.

"lord godolphin and mr. harley were to have been of the party tonight," the queen said, as she took her seat at table, "but i put them off till tomorrow, as i wanted to hear these gentlemen's story."

during the meal, the conversation was gay. as soon as the last dish was removed, the party returned to the other room. then the queen called upon the young men to tell their story.

charlie began, and related up to the time when he had aided in the rescue of his father from the hands of his escort. harry told the story of their military experiences, and then charlie related his narrow escape at warsaw, his adventure with the brigands, and the fight with the wolves.

"that is the most exciting of all," the queen said.

"i think that even you, general, would rather have gone through the battle of narva, than have spent that night among the wolves."

"that would i, indeed, madam, and i doubt if i should have got as well through it as captain carstairs did. i am sure, madam, you will agree with me, that these young gentlemen ought to be fighting under our flag, rather than that of sweden. there is no blame to them, for they were most unjustly driven from the country; but i hope that, by monday at this time, i shall have the pleasure of presenting a document for your majesty's signature, stating that, in the opinion of the council, a very grave miscarriage of justice has taken place; and that the gentlemen, whose estates were four years ago confiscated, are proved to be innocent of the crime of which they were accused, and are true and faithful subjects of your majesty; and that the proceedings against them are hereby quashed, and their estates restored to them.

"i had the honour of relating to you, this afternoon, the manner in which these gentlemen have succeeded in bringing the truth to light."

shortly afterwards, the party broke up, the queen speaking most graciously to each of the young men.

on monday morning, they received a summons to appear before the council, at two o'clock in the afternoon, and to produce one robert nicholson, whose evidence was required in a matter of moment. they hired a carriage, and took the highwayman with them to saint james's, and were conducted to the council chamber; where they found lord godolphin, the marquis of normanby, mr. harley, and the duke of marlborough, together with two judges, before whom the depositions, in the case of sir marmaduke carstairs and his friends, had been laid.

lord normanby, as privy seal, took the chair, and briefly said that, having heard there had been a grievous miscarriage of justice, he had summoned them to hear important evidence which was produced by captains carstairs and jervoise, officers in the service of the king of sweden.

"what have you to say, captain carstairs?"

"i have, sir, only to testify that this man, who stands beside me, is robert nicholson, who was in my father's employment for two years, and was, i believe, the principal witness against him. captain jervoise can also testify to his identity. i now produce the confession, voluntarily made by this man, and signed in the presence of witnesses."

he handed in the confession, which was read aloud by a clerk standing at the lower end of the table. a murmur of indignation arose from the council, as he concluded.

"you have acted the part of a base villain," lord normanby said to nicholson. "hanging would be too good for such a caitiff. what induced you to make this confession?"

"i have long repented my conduct," the man said. "i was forced into acting as i did, by john dormay, who might have had me hung for highway robbery. i would long ago have told the truth, had i known where to find the gentlemen i have injured; and, meeting them by chance the other day, i resolved upon making a clean breast of it, and to take what punishment your lordships may think proper; hoping, however, for your clemency, on account of the fact that i was driven to act in the way i did."

one of the judges, who had the former depositions before him, asked him several questions as to the manner in which he had put the papers into sir marmaduke's cabinet.

he replied that he found the key in a vase on the mantel, and after trying several locks with it, found that it fitted the cabinet.

"his statement agrees, my lords," the judge said, "with that made by sir marmaduke carstairs in his examinations. he then said that he could not account for the papers being in his cabinet, for it was never unlocked, and that he kept the key in a vase on the mantel, where none would be likely to look for it."

in a short time, all present were requested to withdraw, but in less than five minutes they were again called in.

"gentlemen," lord normanby said to the young officers, "i have pleasure in informing you, that the council are of opinion that the innocence of your fathers and friends, of the foul offence of which they were charged, is clearly proven; and that they have decided that the sentence passed against them, in their absence, shall be quashed. they will also recommend, to her majesty, that the sentence of confiscation against them all shall be reversed.

"as to you, sir, seeing that you have, however tardily, endeavoured to undo the evil you have caused, we are disposed to deal leniently, and, at the request of the duke of marlborough, we have agreed, if you are ready to leave the country and enlist at once, as a soldier in the army of flanders, and there to expiate your fault by fighting in the service of your country, we will not recommend that any proceedings shall be taken against you. but if, at any time, you return hither, save as a soldier with a report of good conduct, this affair will be revived, and you will receive the full punishment you deserve.

"for the present you will be lodged in prison, as you will be needed to give evidence, when the matter of john dormay comes up for hearing."

nicholson was at once removed in custody. the two young officers retired, an usher bringing them a whispered message, from marlborough, that they had better not wait to see him, as the council might sit for some time longer; but that, if they would call at his house at five o'clock, after his official reception, he would see them.

"this is more than we could have hoped for," harry said, as they left saint james's. "a fortnight ago, although i had no intention of giving up the search, i began to think that our chances of ever setting eyes on that rascal were of the slightest; and now everything has come right. the man has been found. he has been made to confess the whole matter. the case has been heard by the council. our fathers are free to return to england, and their estates are restored to them; at least, the council recommends the queen, and we know the queen is ready to sign. so that it is as good as done."

"it seems too good to be true."

"it does, indeed, charlie. they will be delighted across the water. i don't think my father counted, at all, upon our finding nicholson, or of our getting him to confess; but i think he had hoped that the duke would interest himself to get an order, that no further proceedings should be taken in the matter of the alleged plot. that would have permitted them to return to england. he spoke to me, several times, of his knowledge of the duke when he was a young man; but churchill, he said, was a time server, and has certainly changed his politics several times; and, if a man is fickle in politics, he may be so in his friendships. it was a great many years since they had met, and marlborough might not have been inclined to acknowledge one charged with so serious a crime.

"but, as he said to me before i started, matters have changed since the death of william. marlborough stands far higher, with anne, than he did with william. his leanings have certainly been, all along, jacobite, and, now that he and the tories are in power, and the whigs are out of favour, marlborough could, if he chose, do very much for us. it is no longer a crime to be a jacobite, and indeed, they say that the tories are intending to upset the act of succession, and bring in a fresh one, making james stuart the successor to anne.

"still, even if we had succeeded so far, by marlborough's influence, that our fathers could have returned to england without fear of being tried for their lives, i do not think that either of them would have come, so long as the charge of having been concerned in an assassination plot was hanging over them.

"now that they are cleared, and can come back with honour, it will be different, altogether. it will be glorious news for them. of course, we shall start as soon as we get the official communication that the estates are restored. we shall only have to go back to them, for, as you know, yours is the only estate that has been granted to anyone else. the others were put up for sale, but no one would bid for them, as the title deeds would have been worth nothing if king james came over. so they have only been let to farmers, and we can walk straight in again, without dispossessing anyone."

"i don't know what to do about john dormay," charlie said. "there is no doubt that, from what the judge said, they will prosecute him."

"so they ought to," harry broke in. "he has striven, by false swearing, to bring innocent men to the scaffold. why, it is worse than murder."

"i quite agree with you, harry, and, if i were in your place, i would say just as strongly as you do that he ought to be hung. but you see, i am differently situated. the man is a kinsman of ours by marriage. my cousin celia has been always most kind to me, and is my nearest relative after my father. she has been like an aunt, and, indeed, did all she could to supply the place of a mother to me; and i am sure my little sweetheart ciceley has been like a sister. this must have been a most terrible trial to them. it was a bad day for cousin celia when she married that scoundrel, and i am sure that he has made her life a most unhappy one. still, for their sake, i would not see his villainy punished as it deserves, nor indeed for our own, since the man is, to a certain extent, our kinsman.

"besides, harry, as you must remember well enough, ciceley and i, in boy and girl fashion, used to say we should be some day husband and wife, and i have never since seen anyone whom i would so soon marry as my bonny little cousin; and if ciceley is of the same mind, maybe some day or other she may come to lynnwood as its mistress; but that could hardly be, if her father were hung for attempting to swear away the life of mine."

"no, indeed, charlie. i know how fond you were of your cousin."

"indeed, harry, there was a talk between my father and cousin celia, a few months before the troubles came, of a formal betrothal between us, and, had it not been for the coolness between our fathers, it would have taken place."

"yes, i remember now your telling me about it, charlie.

"well, what is to be done? for i agree with you that, if possible, john dormay must escape from the punishment he deserves. but how is it to be done?"

"well, harry, a week or two will make no difference to our fathers. they will have no expectation of hearing from us, for a long time to come. i should say it were best that i should go down and warn him, and i shall be glad if you will go with me."

"of course i will go," harry said. "indeed, it were best that the warning came from me. the man is a villain, and a reckless one; and in his passion, when he hears that his rascality is known, the prize for which he schemed snatched from him, and his very life in danger, might even seek to vent his rage and spite upon you. now it is clear, charlie, that you could not very well kill a man, and afterwards marry his daughter. the thing would be scarce seemly. but the fellow is no kinsman of mine. he has grievously injured us, and i could kill him without the smallest compunction, and thereby rid the world of a scoundrel, and you of a prospective father-in-law of the most objectionable kind."

charlie laughed.

"no, harry; we will have no killing. we will go down and see him together. we will let him know that the orders are probably already on the road for his arrest, and that he had best lose not an hour, but at once cross the water. i should not think that he would wish to encumber himself with women, for i never thought he showed the least affection to either his wife or daughter. at any rate, we will see that he does not take them with him. i will tell him that, if he goes, and goes alone, i will do my best to hush up the matter; and that, so long as he remains abroad, the tale of his villainy shall never be told; but that, if he returns, the confession of nicholson shall be published throughout the country, even if no prosecution is brought against him."

when they called upon the duke, he shook them warmly by the hand.

"this parchment is the royal assent to the decision of the council, that the estates of those inculpated in the alleged plot for the assassination of the late king should be forthwith restored to them, it having been clearly proved that they have been falsely accused of the said crime, and that her majesty is satisfied that these gentlemen are her true and loyal subjects.

"i think i may say," the duke continued with a smile, "that no affair of state has ever been so promptly conducted and carried through."

"we feel how deeply indebted we are, for our good fortune, to your kindness, your grace," charlie said. "we know that, but for you, months might have elapsed, even years, before we could have obtained such a result, even after we had the confession of nicholson in our hands."

"i am glad, in every way, to have been able to bring this about," the duke said. "in the first place, because i have been able to right a villainous piece of injustice; in the second, because those injured were loyal gentlemen, with no fault save their steadfast adherence to the cause of the stuarts; and lastly, because one of these gentlemen was my own good friend, mat jervoise, of whose company i have so many pleasant recollections.

"i hope that, as soon as you have informed your fathers that their names are cleared, and their property restored, you will think of what i said, and will decide to quit the service of sweden, and enter that of your queen.

"an officer fighting for a foreign monarch is, after all, but a soldier of fortune, however valiantly he fights. he is fighting for a cause that is not his own, and, though he may win rewards and honours, he has not the satisfaction that all must feel who have risked their lives, not for gold, but in the service of their country. but i do not want any answer from you on that head now. it is a matter for you to decide upon after due thought. i only say that i shall go out, early in the spring, to take command of the army; and that, if you present yourselves to me before i leave, i shall be glad to appoint you on my personal staff, with the same rank you now hold.

"you can now leave the country without any farther trouble. as to the affair of the man dormay, a messenger has been sent off, this afternoon, with an order to the magistrates at lancaster, to arrest him on the charge of suborning false evidence, by which the lives of some of her majesty's subjects were endangered; and of forging letters whereby such evil designs might be furthered. i do not suppose i shall see you again before you sail, for tomorrow we go down to our country place, and may remain there some weeks. i may say that it was the desire to get your affair finished, before we left town, that conduced somewhat to the speed with which it has been carried through."

after again thanking the duke most warmly for his kindness, and saying that they would lay his offer before their fathers, and that their own inclinations were altogether in favour of accepting it, the young men took their leave.

"it is unfortunate about dormay."

"most unfortunate," harry said.

"i think, if we start tomorrow morning, harry, we shall be in time. there is no reason why the messenger should travel at any extraordinary speed, and, as he may be detained at lancaster, and some delay may arise before officers are sent up to lynnwood to make the arrest, we may be in time.

"we must take a note of the date. it is one we shall remember all our lives. it is the 25th of november, and we will keep it up as a day of festivity and rejoicing, as long as we live."

"that will we," harry agreed. "it shall be the occasion of an annual gathering of those who got into trouble from those suppers at sir marmaduke's. i fancy the others are all in france, but their friends will surely be able to let them know, as soon as they hear the good news.

"i think we shall have a stormy ride tomorrow. the sky looks very wild and threatening."

"it does, indeed; and the wind has got up very much, in the last hour.''

"yes, we are going to have a storm, beyond all doubt."

the wind got up hourly, and when, before going to bed, they went to pass an hour at a tavern, they had difficulty in making their way against it. several times in the night they were awoke by the gusts, which shook the whole house, and they heard the crashing of falling chimney pots above the din of the gale.

they had arranged to start as soon as it was light, and had, the evening before, been to a posting inn, and engaged a carriage with four horses for the journey down to lancashire.

"there is no starting today, gentlemen," the landlord said, as they went down to breakfast by candlelight. "i have looked out, and the street is strewn with chimney pots and tiles. never do i remember such a gale, and hour by hour it seems to get worse. why, it is dangerous to go across the street."

"well, we must try," charlie said, "whatever the weather. it is a matter of almost life and death."

"well, gentlemen, you must please yourselves, but i am mistaken if any horse keeper will let his animals out, on such a day as this."

as soon as they had eaten their breakfasts, they wrapped themselves up in their cloaks, pressed their hats over their heads, and sallied out. it was not until they were in the streets that they realized how great was the force of the gale. not only were the streets strewn with tiles and fragments of chimney pots, but there was light enough for them to see that many of the upper windows of the houses had been blown in by the force of the wind. tiles flew about like leaves in autumn, and occasionally gutters and sheets of lead, stripped from the roofs, flew along with prodigious swiftness.

"this is as bad as a pitched battle, charlie. i would as lief be struck by a cannonball as by one of those strips of lead."

"well, we must risk it, harry. we must make the attempt, anyhow."

it was with the greatest difficulty that they made their way along. although powerful young fellows, they were frequently obliged to cling to the railings, to prevent themselves from being swept away by the gusts, and they had more than one narrow escape from falling chimneys. although the distance they had to traverse was not more than a quarter of a mile, it took them half an hour to accomplish it.

the post master looked at them in surprise, as they entered his office flushed and disordered.

"why, gentlemen, you are not thinking of going on such a day as this? it would be a sheer impossibility. why, the carriage would be blown over, and if it wasn't, no horses would face this wind."

"we would be willing to pay anything you may like to ask," charlie said.

"it ain't a question of money, sir. if you were to buy the four horses and the carriage, you would be no nearer, for no post boy would be mad enough to ride them; and, even supposing you got one stage, which you never would do, you would have to buy horses again, for no one would be fool enough to send his animals out. you could not do it, sir. why, i hear there are half a dozen houses, within a dozen yards of this, that have been altogether unroofed, and it is getting worse instead of better. if it goes on like this, i doubt if there will be a steeple standing in london tomorrow.

"listen to that!"

there was a tremendous crash, and, running out into the street, they saw a mass of beams and tiles lying in the roadway--a house two doors away had been completely unroofed. they felt that, in such a storm, it was really impossible to proceed, and accordingly returned to their lodgings, performing the distance in a fraction of the time it had before taken them.

for some hours the gale continued to increase in fury. not a soul was to be seen in the streets. occasional heavy crashes told of the damage that was being wrought, and, at times, the house shook so that it seemed as if it would fall.

never was such a storm known in england. the damage done was enormous. the shores were strewn with wrecks. twelve ships of the royal navy, with fifteen hundred men, were lost; and an enormous number of merchant vessels. many steeples, houses, and buildings of all kinds were overthrown, and the damage, in london alone, was estimated at a million pounds.

there were few who went to bed that night. many thought that the whole city would be destroyed. towards morning, however, the fury of the gale somewhat abated, and by nightfall the danger had passed.

the next morning the two friends started, and posted down to lancashire. the journey was a long one. in many places the road was completely blocked by fallen trees, and sometimes by the ruins of houses and barns. in the former case, long detours had often to be made through villainous roads, where the wheels sank almost to their axles, and, in spite of the most liberal bribes to post boys and post masters, the journey occupied four days longer than the usual time.

at last, they reached the lodge gate of lynnwood. a man came out from the cottage. he was the same who had been there in sir marmaduke's time.

charlie jumped out of the post chaise.

"why, norman, don't you know me?"

the man looked hard at him.

"no, sir, i can't say as i do."

"what, not charlie carstairs?"

"bless me, it is the young master!" the man said. "to think of my not knowing you. but you have changed wonderful. why, sir, i have been thinking of you often and often, and most of all the last three days, but i never thought of you like this."

"why the last three days, norman?"

"haven't you heard the news, sir?"

"no, i have heard nothing. captain jervoise and i--my old friend, you know, norman--have posted all the way from london, and should have been here six days ago, if it had not been for the storm."

"well, sir, there is bad news; at least, i don't know whether you will consider it bad. most of the folk about here looks at it the other way. but the man in there shot hisself, three days ago. a magistrate, with some men from lancaster, came over here. they say it was to arrest him, but i don't know the rights of the case. anyhow, it is said they read some paper over to him, and then he opened a drawer at the table where he was sitting, and pulled out a pistol, and shot hisself before anyone could stop him.

"there have been bad goings here of late, mr. charles, very bad, especially for the last year. he was not friends with his son, they say, but the news of his death drove him to drink, worse than before; and besides, there have been dicing, and all sorts of goings on, and i doubt not but that the ladies have had a terrible time of it. there were several men staying in the house, but they all took themselves off, as soon as it was over, and there are only the ladies there now. they will be glad enough to see you, i will be bound."

charlie was shocked; but at the same time, he could not but feel that it was the best thing that could happen, and harry freely expressed himself to that effect.

"we won't take the carriage up to the house," charlie said, after a long pause. "take the valises out, and bring them up to the house presently, norman."

he paid the postilion who had brought them from lancaster, and stood quiet until the carriage had driven off.

"i hope sir marmaduke is well, sir. we have missed him sorely here."

"he was quite well when i saw him, ten weeks ago. i hope he will be here before long. i am happy to say that his innocence of the charge brought against him has been proved, and his estates, and those of mr. jervoise and the other gentlemen, have been restored by the queen."

"that is good news, indeed, sir," the man exclaimed. "the best i have heard for many a long year. everyone about here will go wild with joy."

"then don't mention it at present, norman. any rejoicings would be unseemly, while john dormay is lying dead there."

"shall i go up with you, charlie, or will you go alone?" harry asked. "of course, there are some horses here, and you could lend me one to drive over to our own place."

"you shall do that presently, harry, and tell them the news. but come in now. you know my cousin and ciceley. it will be all the better that you should go in with me."

his cousin received charlie with a quiet pleasure. she was greatly changed since he had seen her last, and her face showed that she had suffered greatly. ciceley had grown into a young woman, and met him with delight. both were pleased to see harry.

"we were talking of you but now, charlie," mrs. dormay said. "ciceley and i agreed that we would remove at once to our old place, and that this should be kept up for you, should you at any time be able to return. now that queen anne is on the throne, and the tories are in power, we hoped that you, at least, would ere long be permitted to return. how is your dear father?"

"he is well, cousin, and will, i trust, be here ere long. our innocence of the charge has been proved, the proceedings against us quashed, and the act of confiscation against my father, mr. jervoise, and the others reversed."

"thank god for that," mrs. dormay said earnestly, and ciceley gave an exclamation of pleasure. "that accounts, then, for what has happened here.

"i do not want to talk about it, charlie. you may imagine how ciceley and i have suffered. but he was my husband, spare him for my sake."

"i will never allude to the subject again, cousin," charlie said. "but i must tell you that harry and i have posted down from london, in hopes of being in time to warn him, and enable him to escape. i need not say we did so because he was your husband, and ciceley's father."

harry then turned the subject, by a remark as to the effects of the storm. then ciceley asked questions as to their life abroad, and there was so much to tell, and to listen to, that even mrs. dormay's face brightened. harry willingly allowed himself to be persuaded to remain for the night, and to ride over to his place in the morning.

the funeral took place two days later. charlie went as sole mourner.

"he was my kinsman," he said to harry, "and, though i can pretend no sorrow at his death, my attendance at the funeral will do something towards stopping talk, and will make it easier for my cousin."

the next day, mrs. dormay and ciceley returned to rockley, whose tenant had fortunately left a few weeks before. charlie and harry both went over with them, and stayed for three or four days, and they were glad to see that mrs. dormay seemed to be shaking off the weight of her trouble, and was looking more like her old self.

they then rode to lancaster, and returned to london by coach. they crossed to gottenburg by the first vessel that was sailing, and sir marmaduke was delighted to hear the success of their mission, and that he was at liberty to return at once, as master of lynnwood.

"luck favoured you somewhat, charlie, in throwing that vagabond in your way, but for all else we have to thank you both, for the manner in which you have carried the affair out, and captured your fox. as for john dormay, 'tis the best thing that could have happened. i have often thought it over, while you have been away, and have said to myself that the best settlement of the business would be that you, harry, when you obtained proofs, should go down, confront him publicly, and charge him with his treachery, force him to draw, and then run him through the body. charlie would, of course, have been the proper person, in my absence, so to settle the matter, but he could not well have killed my cousin's husband, and it would have added to the scandal.

"however, the way it has turned out is better altogether. it will be only a nine days' wonder. the man has been cut by all the gentry, and when it is known that he shot himself to escape arrest, many will say that it was a fit ending, and will trouble themselves no more concerning him.

"you are coming back with me, i hope, charlie. i have seen but little of you for the last four years, and if you are, as you say, going with the duke of marlborough to the war in the spring, i don't want to lose sight of you again till then. you can surely resign your commission here without going back to the army, especially as you have leave of absence until the end of march."

charlie hesitated.

"i think so, too," harry said. "i know that the colonel told the king the whole story, when he asked for leave for me and obtained that paper. he told my father that the king was greatly interested, and said: 'i hope the young fellows will succeed, though i suppose, if they do, i shall lose two promising young officers.' so he will not be surprised when he hears that we have resigned.

"as for me, i shall, of course, go on at once. my father will, i am sure, be delighted to return home. the hardships have told upon him a good deal, and he has said several times, of late, how much he wished he could see his way to retiring. i think, too, he will gladly consent to my entering our own service, instead of that of sweden. he would not have done so, i am sure, had william been still on the throne. now it is altogether different."

"well, harry, if you do see the king, as it is possible you may do, or if you do not, you might speak to the colonel, and ask him, in my name, to express to charles my regret at leaving his service, in which i have been so well treated, and say how much i feel the kindly interest that his majesty has been pleased to take in me. if there had been any chance of the war coming to an end shortly, i should have remained to see it out; but, now that the polish business may be considered finished, it will be continued with russia, and may go on for years, for the czar is just as obstinate and determined as charles himself."

accordingly, the next morning, charlie sent in the formal resignation of his commission to the war minister at stockholm, and harry left by ship for revel. sir marmaduke placed his business affairs in the hands of a scotch merchant at gottenburg, with instructions to call in the money he had lent on mortgage, and, two days later, took passage with charlie for hull, whence they posted across the country to lancaster, and then drove to lynnwood.

as soon as the news spread that sir marmaduke had returned, the church bells rang a joyous peal, bonfires were lighted, the tenants flocked in to greet him, and the gentry for miles round rode over to welcome and congratulate him.

the next morning he and charlie rode over to rockley.

"oh, marmaduke," cried celia, "i am happy indeed to know that you are back again. i have never known a day's happiness since you went."

"well, don't let us think any more about it, celia," sir marmaduke said, as he kissed her tenderly. "let us look on it all as an ugly dream. it has not been without its advantages, as far as we are concerned. it has taken me out of myself, and broadened my view of things. i have not had at all an unpleasant time of it in sweden, and shall enjoy my home all the more, now that i have been away from it for a while. as to charlie, it has made a man of him. he has gained a great deal of credit, and had opportunities of showing that he is made of good stuff; and now he enters upon life with every advantage, and has a start, indeed, such as very few young fellows can have. he enters our army as a captain, under the eye of marlborough himself, with a reputation gained under that of the greatest soldier in europe.

"so we have no reason to regret the past, cousin, and on that score you have no cause for grief. as to the future, i trust that it will be bright for both of us, and i think," he added meaningly, "our former plans for our children are likely to be some day realized."

four years later, indeed, the union that both parents had at heart took place, during one of the pauses of the fierce struggle between the british forces under marlborough, and the french. at blenheim, ramillies, and oudenarde, and in several long and toilsome sieges, charlie had distinguished himself greatly, and was regarded by marlborough as one of the most energetic and trustworthy of his officers. he had been twice severely wounded, and had gained the rank of colonel. harry jervoise--who had had a leg shot away, below the knee, by a cannonball at ramillies, and had then left the army with the rank of major--was, on the same day as his friend, married to the daughter of one of the gentlemen who had been driven into exile with his father.

in the spring charlie again joined the army, and commanded a brigade in the desperate struggle on the hill of malplaquet, one of the hardest fought battles in the history of war. peace was made shortly afterwards, and, at the reduction of the army that followed, he went on half pay, and settled down for life at lynnwood, where tony peters and his wife had, at the death of the former occupant of the lodge, been established.

when harry jervoise returned to the swedish headquarters, with the news that his father was cleared, he was the bearer of a very handsome present from charlie to his faithful servant stanislas, who had, on their return from poland, been at once employed by count piper on other service.

when, years afterwards, the young pretender marched south with the highland clans, neither charlie nor harry were among the gentlemen who joined him. he had their good wishes, but, having served in the british army, they felt that they could not join the movement in arms against the british crown; and indeed, the strong jacobite feelings of their youth had been greatly softened down by their contact with the world, and they had learned to doubt much whether the restoration of the stuarts would tend, in any way, to the benefit or prosperity of britain.

they felt all the more obliged to stand aloof from the struggle, inasmuch as both had sons, in the army, that had fought valiantly against the french at dettingen and fontenoy. the families always remained united in the closest friendship, and more than one marriage took place between the children of charlie carstairs and harry jervoise.