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　that　of　Miss　Vere；　with　the　evidence　of　my　friends　who　accompany　me；　too　slight　for　my　exculpation；　I　will　be　happymost　happyto　repel　the　charge；　as　becomes　a　man　who　counts　his　honour　dearer　than　his　life。〃

〃And　I'll　be　his　second；〃　said　Simon　of　Hackburn；　〃and　take　up　ony　twa　o'　ye；　gentle　or　semple；　laird　or　loon；　it's　a'　ane　to　Simon。〃

〃Who　is　that　rough…looking　fellow？〃　　said　Sir　Frederick　Langley；　〃and　what　has　he　to　do　with　the　quarrels　of　gentlemen？〃

〃I'se　be　a　lad　frae　the　Hie　Te'iot；〃　said　Simon；　〃and　I'se　quarrel　wi'　ony　body　I　like；　except　the　king；　or　the　laird　I　live　under。〃

〃Come；〃　said；　Mareschal；　〃let　us　have　no　brawls。Mr。　Earnscliff；　although　we　do　not　think　alike　in　some　things；　I　trust　we　may　be　opponents；　even　enemies；　if　fortune　will　have　it　so；　without　losing　our　respect　for　birth；　fair…play；　and　each　other。　　I　believe　you　as　innocent　of　this　matter　as　I　am　myself；　and　I　will　pledge　myself　that　my　cousin　Ellieslaw；　as　soon　as　the　perplexity　attending　these　sudden　events　has　left　his　judgment　to　its　free　exercise；　shall　handsomely　acknowledge　the　very　important　service　you　have　this　day　rendered　him。〃

〃To　have　served　your　cousin　is　a　sufficient　reward　in　itself　Good　evening；　gentlemen；〃　continued　Earnscliff；　〃I　see　most　of　your　party　are　already　on　their　way　to　Ellieslaw。〃

Then　saluting　Mareschal　with　courtesy；　and　the　rest　of　the　party　with　indifference；　Earnscliff　turned　his　horse　and　rode　towards　the　Heugh…foot；　to　concert　measures　with　Hobbie　Elliot　for　farther　researches　after　his　bride；　of　whose　restoration　to　her　friends　he　was　still　ignorant。

〃There　he　goes；〃　said　Mareschal；　〃he　is　a　fine；　gallant　young　fellow；　upon　my　soul；　and　yet　I　should　like　well　to　have　a　thrust　with　him　on　the　green　turf。　　I　was　reckoned　at　college　nearly　his　equal　with　the　foils；　and　I　should　like　to　try　him　at　sharps。〃

〃In　my　opinion；〃　answered　Sir　Frederick　Langley；　〃we　have　done　very　ill　in　having　suffered　him；　and　those　men　who　are　with　him；　to　go　off　without　taking　away　their　arms；　for　the　Whigs　are　very　likely　to　draw　to　a　head　under　such　a　sprightly　young　fellow　as　that。〃

〃For　shame；　Sir　Frederick！〃　　exclaimed　Mareschal；　〃do　you　think　that　Ellieslaw　could；　in　honour；　consent　to　any　violence　being　offered　to　Earnscliff；　when　he　entered　his　bounds　only　to　bring　back　his　daughter？　　or；　if　he　were　to　be　of　your　opinion；　do　you　think　that　I；　and　the　rest　of　these　gentlemen；　would　disgrace　ourselves　by　assisting　in　such　a　transaction？　　No；　no；　fair　play　and　auld　Scotland　for　ever！　　When　the　sword　is　drawn；　I　will　be　as　ready　to　use　it　as　any　man；　but　while　it　is　in　the　sheath；　let　us　behave　like　gentlemen　and　neighbours。〃

Soon　after　this　colloquy　they　reached　the　castle；　when　Ellieslaw；　who　had　been　arrived　a　few　minutes　before；　met　them　in　the　court…　yard。

〃How　is　Miss　Vere？　　and　have　you　learned　the　cause　of　her　being　carried　off？〃　　asked　Mareschal　hastily。

〃She　is　retired　to　her　apartment　greatly　fatigued；　and　I　cannot　expect　much　light　upon　her　adventure　till　her　spirits　are　somewhat　recruited；〃　replied　her　father。　　〃She　and　I　were　not　the　less　obliged　to　you；　Mareschal；　and　to　my　other　friends；　for　their　kind　enquiries。　　But　I　must　suppress　the　father's　feelings　for　a　while　to　give　myself　up　to　those　of　the　patriot。　　You　know　this　is　the　day　fixed　for　our　final　decisiontime　pressesour　friends　are　arriving；　and　I　have　opened　house；　not　only　for　the　gentry；　but　for　the　under　spur…leathers　whom　we　must　necessarily　employ。　　We　have；　therefore；　little　time　to　prepare　to　meet　them。Look　over　these　lists；　Marchie　（an　abbreviation　by　which　Mareschal…Wells　was　known　among　his　friends）。　　Do　you；　Sir　Frederick；　read　these　letters　from　Lothian　and　the　westall　is　ripe　for　the　sickle；　and　we　have　but　to　summon　out　the　reapers。〃

〃With　all　my　heart；〃　said　Mareschal；　〃the　more　mischief　the　better　sport。〃

Sir　Frederick　looked　grave　and　disconcerted。

〃Walk　aside　with　me；　my　good　friend；〃　said　Ellieslaw　to　the　sombre　baronet；　〃I　have　something　for　your　private　ear；　with　which　I　know　you　will　be　gratified。〃

They　walked　into　the　house；　leaving　Ratcliffe　and　Mareschal　standing　together　in　the　court。

〃And　so；〃　said　Ratcliffe；　〃the　gentlemen　of　your　political　persuasion　think　the　downfall　of　this　government　so　certain；　that　they　disdain　even　to　throw　a　decent　disguise　over　the　machinations　of　their　party？〃

〃Faith；　Mr。　Ratcliffe；〃　answered　Mareschal；　〃the　actions　and　sentiments　YOUR　friends　may　require　to　be　veiled；　but　I　am　better　pleased　that　ours　can　go　barefaced。〃

〃And　is　it　possible；〃　continued　Ratcliffe；　〃that　you；　who；　notwithstanding　pour　thoughtlessness　and　heat　of　temper　（I　beg　pardon；　Mr。　Mareschal；　I　am　a　plain　man）that　you；　who；　notwithstanding　these　constitutional　defects；　possess　natural　good　sense　and　acquired　information；　should　be　infatuated　enough　to　embroil　yourself　in　such　desperate　proceedings？　　How　does　your　head　feel　when　you　are　engaged　in　these　dangerous　conferences？〃

〃Not　quite　so　secure　on　my　shoulders；〃　answered　Mareschal；　〃as　if　I　were　talking　of　hunting　and　hawking。　　I　am　not　of　so　indifferent　a　mould　as　my　cousin　Ellieslaw；　who　speaks　treason　as　if　it　were　a　child's　nursery　rhymes；　and　loses　and　recovers　that　sweet　girl；　his　daughter；　with　a　good　deal　less　emotion　on　both　occasions；　than　would　have　affected　me　had　I　lost　and　recovered　a　greyhound　puppy。　　My　temper　is　not　quite　so　inflexible；　nor　my　hate　against　government　so　inveterate；　as　to　blind　me　to　the　full　danger　of　the　attempt。〃

〃Then　why　involve　yourself　in　it？〃　　said　Ratcliffe。

〃Why；　I　love　this　poor　exiled　king　with　all　my　heart；　and　my　father　was　an　old　Killiecrankie　man；　and　I　long　to　see　some　amends　on　the　Unionist　courtiers；　that　have　bought　and　sold　old　Scotland；　whose　crown　has　been　so　long　independent。〃

〃And　for　the　sake　of　these　shadows；〃　said　his　monitor；　〃you　are　going　to　involve　your　country　in　war　and　yourself　in　trouble？〃

〃I　involve？　　No！but；　trouble　for　trouble；　I　had　rather　it　came　to…morrow　than　a　month　hence。　　COME；　I　know　it　will；　and；　as　your　country　folks　say；　better　soon　than　syneit　will　never　find　me　youngerand　as　for　hanging；　as　Sir　John　Falstaff　says；　I　can　become　a　gallows　as　well　as　another。　　You　know　the　end　of　the　old　ballad；

　〃Sae　dauntonly；　sae　wantonly；　　　Sae　rantingly　gaed　he；　　　He　play'd　a　spring；　and　danced　a　round；　　　Beneath　the　gallows　tree。〃

〃Mr。　Mareschal；　I　am　sorry　for　you；〃　said　his　grave　adviser。

〃I　am　obliged　to　you；　Mr。　Ratcliffe；　but　I　would　not　have　you　judge　of　our　enterprise　by　my　way　of　vindicating　it；　there　are　wiser　heads　than　mine　at　the　work。〃

〃Wiser　heads　than　yours　may　lie　as　low；〃　said　Ratcliffe；　in　a　warning　tone。

〃Perhaps　so；　but　no　lighter　heart　shall；　and；　to　prevent　it　being　made　heavier　by　your　remonstrances；　I　will　bid　you　adieu；　Mr。　Ratcliffe；　till　dinner…time；　when　you　shall　see　that　my　apprehensions　have　not　spoiled　my　appetite。〃



CHAPTER　XIII。

　To　face　the　garment　of　rebellion　　With　some　fine　colour；　that　may　please　the　eye　　Of　fickle　changelings；　and　poor　discontents；　　Which　gape　and　rub　the　elbow　at　the　news　　Of　hurlyburly　innovation。　　　　　　　HENRY　THE　FOURTH；　PART　II。

There　had　been　great　preparations　made　at　Ellieslaw　Castle　for　the　entertainment　on　this　important　day；　when　not　only　the　gentlemen　of　note　in　the　neighbourhood；　attached　to　the　Jacobite　interest；　were　expected　to　rendezvous；　but　also　many　subordinate　malecontents；　whom　difficulty　of　circumstances；　love　of　change；　resentment　against　England；　or　any　of　the　numerous　causes　which　inflamed　men's　passions　at　the　time；　rendered　apt　to　join　in　perilous　enterprise。　　The　men　of　rank　and　substance　were　not　many　in　number；　for　almost　all　the　large　proprietors　stood　aloof；　and　most　of　the　smaller　gentry　and　yeomanry　were　of　the　Presbyterian　persuasion；　and　therefore；　however　displeased　with　the　Union；　unwilling　to　engage　in　a　Jacobite　conspiracy。　　But　there　were　some　gentlemen　of　property；　who；　either　from　early　principle；　from　religious　motives；　or　sharing　the　ambitious　views　of　Ellieslaw；　had　given　countenance　to　his　scheme；　and　there　were；　also；　some　fiery　young　men；　like　Mareschal；　desirous　of　signalizing　themselves　by　engaging　in　a　dangerous　enterprise；　by　which　they　hoped　to　vindicate　the　independence　of　their　country。　The　other　members　of　the　party　were　persons　of　inferior　rank　and　desperate　fortunes；　who　were　now　ready　to　rise　in　that　part　of　the　country；　as　they　did　afterwards　in　the　year　1715；　under　Forster　and　Derwentwater；　when　a　troop；　commanded　by　a　Border　gentleman；　named　Douglas；　consisted　almost　entirely　of　freebooters；　among　whom　the　notorious　Luck…in…a…bag；　as　he　was　called；　held　a　distinguished　command。　　We　think　it　necessary　to　mention　these　particulars；　applicable　solely　to　the　province　in　which　our　scene　lies；　because；　unquestionably；　the　Jacobite　party；　in　the　other　parts　of　the　kingdom；　consisted　of　much　more　formidable；　as　well　as　much　more　respectable；　materials。

One　long　table　extended　itself　down　the　ample　hall　of　Ellieslaw　Castle；　which　was　still　left　much　in　the　state　in　which　it　had　been　one　hundred　years　before；　stretching；　that　is；　in　gloomy　length；　along　the　whole　side　of　the　castle；　vaulted　with　ribbed　arche