eld out that Hilary
felt for the time extremely weak and ready to give up.

Meanwhile the song went on outside, for all these thoughts ran very
quickly through the young man's brain. Then Adela's voice died away,
and Hilary opened his eyes to see Sir Henry standing there, with a smile
upon his handsome face, and his hand extended.

"Well, Captain Leigh," he said, laughing, "I am to clasp hands with my
young brother in the good cause?"

"You will shake hands with me, Sir Henry," said Hilary, "for we are very
old friends, and I shall never forget my happy days at the old hall,"
and he laid his hand in that of the baronet.

"Forget them! No, my dear boy," cried Sir Henry enthusiastically. "But
there will be brighter days yet. Come along and join Adela; she will be
delighted to have you with her again. Come along! Why do you hang
back? Why, Hil, my boy, you have not grown bashful?"

"You love the young Pre--I mean Charles Stuart," said Hilary quietly, as
he still held his old friend's hand.

"Love, my boy? Yes, Heaven bless him! And so will you when you meet
him. He will take to you with your frank young sailor face, Hilary."

"No, Sir Henry," Hilary replied sadly. "I have heard that he is
generally frank, and an honourable gentleman."

"All that, Hilary," cried Sir Henry enthusiastically. "He is royal in
his ways, and I am sure he will like you."

"If he is what you say, Sir Henry," replied the young man, "he would
look with coldness and contempt upon a scoundrel and a traitor."

"To be sure he would," said Sir Henry, who in his elation and belief
that he had won Hilary over to the Pretender's cause was thrown off his
guard.

"Then why do you talk of his liking me, if, after signing my adhesion to
him whom I look upon as my rightful king, I deserted him at the first
touch of difficulty? No, Sir Henry, I could not accept your offer
without looking upon myself afterwards as a traitor and a villain, and I
am sure that you would be one of the first men to think of me with
contempt."

Sir Henry dropped the hand he held in astonishment, completely taken
aback, and a heavy frown came upon his brow.

"Are you mad, Hilary?" he exclaimed. "Do you know what you are
refusing?"

"Yes, Sir Henry, I know what I am refusing; but I hope I am not mad."

"Honour, advancement, liberty, in place of what you are enduring now."

"Yes, Sir Henry, I can see it all."

"Adela's friendship--my friendship. Oh, my de