, followed her guide and was ushered into a large room,
at the further end of which sat the Chief Justice before a
plentifully-spread breakfast-table. His eyes were ferrety, his nose and
cheeks fiery red, his countenance even in rest had a savage expression.

"Well, young woman, who are you, and what do you want?" he asked in a
gruff tone.

"Please, my lord, I am grand-daughter of a Cavalier who died fighting
for his king; my father was a loyal gentleman, and I have been brought
up by my guardian, Colonel Tregellen, an old Cavalier. I have had no
sympathy with the late Duke of Monmouth, and yet I come to plead for the
life of one who has been implicated in his rebellion."

"Some crop-eared knave with whom thou hast fallen in love, wench,"
growled the Chief Justice. "Out on thee, for an idle baggage!"

"I come to plead for the life of my betrothed husband," said Alice.
"And, my lord, there are those who value him for his honesty and other
good qualities, and are ready to pay as large a sum of money as they can
collect, to obtain his pardon, and I am authorised to hand it over to
your Lordship, that you may do with it as you think fit."

Jeffrey's eyes sparkled as he turned them towards Alice. "What is the
name of this precious youth, thy betrothed husband, wench? I warrant he
thinks thou art worth living for."

"Stephen Battiscombe," answered Alice.

"Why, he is one I yesterday sentenced to death; he should have been hung
by this time, so you are too late, wench."

"Please you, my lord, it was his elder brother, Andrew Battiscombe,"
said Alice. "Were he even more criminal than he is, surely the death of
one in the family is sufficient to satisfy the ends of justice."

"I would stamp out the whole brood of vipers, could I catch them," said
Jeffreys.

Poor Alice felt her heart sink, but she was not to be defeated.

"Whatever his crime, my lord, the sum I am authorised to place in your
Lordship's hands, on receiving his pardon, will, I hope, condone it."

"Ho, ho," said the Chief Justice, eyeing the notes and rolls of gold;
then, turning to a list he had by his side: "I see he is condemned to be
hung, and should have been strung up with his brother this afternoon.
To pardon him is impossible. All I can do is to commute his sentence,
and condemn him to be sent as a slave to the West Indies. There, do not
be weeping, wench. You have obtained your lover's life, at a cheap rate
too. If you care for him yo