ble. 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, th