“No doubt, no doubt, Andrew, now that I hear you say so. But I couldn’t muster up the heart, because I done my own love-makin’ in a clandestine manner, in my lovin’ days, and I had a sort o’ fellow-feelin’ with these young people, as you might say. So I couldn’t make up my mind. But I happened to move my leg, which were powerful cramped with sittin’ long in one position, an’ I made more noise nor I bargained for. And the first thing I knew, the young gentleman were a-proddin’ at me through the shrub’ry. So before I ever thought, the hoot come out, more as if there was a owl inside o’ me which hooted of its own accord, than if it was of my own free will.”
“It wasn’t of your own free will, man. Take my word for it, the matter was took out o’ your hands altogether. The moving of your leg was ordered from above, to bring about the end that was predestinated.”
“I believe it were, Andrew. At all events, once the hoot was out, the fat was in the fire. It weren’t a bad hoot, though, were it?”
“Better nor a real owl could do, David,” said Andrew, raising his beer to his mouth.
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THE conversation just related took place in a passage where the two men kept watch outside the room in which Everell was temporarily confined. It was a small chamber with an iron-barred window, and the Jacobite sat gazing into the flame of a candle on the mantelpiece, while his fate was being discussed in the drawing-room. He was still under the restraint of the cords, which, like that of lock and key, was warranted by his persistent refusal to give his word that he would not escape. The master of the house had personally seen, however, that the prisoner’s surroundings were made as endurable as the necessities of the case allowed.
“So this,” said Foxwell, as he then rejoined his guests in the drawing-room, “is what lay behind our Georgiana’s prudery. How the deuce could she have met the Jacobite?”
“The question is,” said Rashleigh, “what the deuce are you going to do with the Jacobite?”
“I wish I knew,” replied Foxwell, looking at the document presented to him by Jeremiah Filson. “’Tis clear enough what our duty is, as loyal subjects, and so forth.”