than his tongue," cried
Archee, who accompanied his royal master. "I counsel your Majesty to
deprive him of that."

"There is something hidden in his breast," cried one of the warders,
searching in his jerkin, and at length drawing forth a short, clumsy
pistol, or dag, as the weapon was then called. "It is loaded, an please
your Majesty," the man continued, after examining it.

Exclamations of horror arose from those around, and Jocelyn had again
some difficulty in protecting the prisoner from their fury.

"A dag!" ejaculated James, "a loaded dag, crammed to the muzzle wi'
bullets, nae doubt. Haud it down, man! haud it down! it may fire off of
itsel', and accomplish the villain's murtherous and sacrilegious design.
And sae this was to be the instrument of our destruction! Dost thou
confess thy guilt, thou bluid-thirsty traitor, or shall the torture
force the truth from thee?"

"The torture will force nothing from me," replied Hugh Calveley. "But I
tell thee, tyrant, that I would have slain thee, had not my hand been
stayed."

"Heard ye ever the like o' that?" exclaimed James, his ruddy cheek
blanched with fright, and his voice quavering. "Why, he exceedeth in
audacity the arch-traitor Fawkes himsel'. And what stayed thy hand,
villain?" he demanded,--"what stayed thy hand, thou blood-thirsty
traitor?"

"The presence of this youth, Jocelyn Mounchensey," rejoined Hugh
Calveley. "Had he not come between us when he did, and checked my
purpose, I had delivered my country from oppression. I told thee,
tyrant, thou hadst been marvellously preserved. Thy preserver stands
before thee."

"Heaven defend us!" exclaimed James, trembling. "What an escape we hae
had. There hath been a special interposition o' Providence in our
behoof. Our gratitude is due to Him who watcheth ower us."

"And in some degree to him who hath been made the instrument of your
Majesty's preservation," observed the Conde de Gondomar, who formed one
of the group near the King. "Since the foul traitor hath proclaimed the
name of my young protege", there can be no need for further concealment.
Master Jocelyn Mounchensey hath been singularly fortunate in rendering
your Majesty a service, and may for ever congratulate himself on his
share--accidental though it be--in this affair."

"By my halidame! he shall have reason for congratulation," cried James,
graciously regarding the young man.

"Ay, let him rise by my fall. 'Tis meet he should," cried the P