ually gaunt and unwomanly. Her husband,
however, bade her go in for her keys, and at last she found courage to
enter.

As she walked into the hall, Charles arose from his seat and advanced
to meet her. According to the custom of the day, which applied both to
ladies and gentlemen, he offered her the compliment of a salute. Lady
Kingsburgh felt the roughness of no woman's cheek against her own.
Alarmed at the discovery, she nearly fainted; she spoke not, neither did
the stranger. She went hastily towards Kingsburgh, and told him her
suspicions. No reproaches were uttered on her part for the introduction,
which had evidently some risk connected with it; she merely asked, "Does
this strange woman know anything about the Prince?" Her husband, taking
her hand, replied, "My dear, this is the Prince himself." "The Prince!"
returned Lady Kingsburgh; "then we shall all be hanged!" "We can die but
once," answered Kingsburgh; "could we die in a better cause? We are only
doing an act of humanity."

He then desired her to send in supper. "Let us have eggs, butter,
cheese, or whatever can be procured in the shortest time." The lady
remonstrated. "Eggs, butter, and cheese for a Prince!" "he will never
look at such a supper." "Ah, my dear," returned Kingsburgh, "you little
know how this poor Prince has fared of late. Our supper will be a
banquet to him. Besides, any formal preparation would excite suspicion.
Make haste, and come to supper yourself." Lady Kingsburgh had now a new
source of alarm. "_I_ come to supper!" she cried; "I do not know how to
behave before a Prince." She was reassured by her husband, who told her
that there was no difficulty in behaving before _this_ Prince, who was
so easy and obliging.

The party, who had undergone such a day's journey, sat up nearly till
dawn, and became merry over their supper. Never was there a more joyous
or inspiring guest at a feast than the unfortunate Charles. He was now
in the house of a trusted adherent; and his spirits, which had been
unaltered even in huts and caverns, gladdened all present. His favourite
toast, was "To the Black Eye!" by which, as his pilot to the Long
Island, Donald Macleod, relates, he meant the second daughter of France;
"and I never heard him," said Donald, "name any particular health but
that alone. When he spoke of that lady, which he did frequently, he
appeared to be more than ordinarily well-pleased."[292]

The Prince ate heartily, and drank a bumper o