was willing to sell himself."

"A man does not sell his life in a hurry," said my Aunt Dorothea.

"My dear," replied my Uncle Charles, "there are men who would sell their
own mothers and children."

"Oh, I dare say, but not themselves," said she.

"I suppose somebody cared for him," observed Hatty.

I found it hard work to keep silence.

"Only low people like himself," said Grandmamma. "Those creatures will
do anything for money."

And then, Caesar bringing in a note with Mrs Newton's compliments, the
talk went off to something else.

On the Saturday evening there was an extra assembly, and I caught
Ephraim as soon as ever I could.

"Ephraim, they have found it out!" I said, in a whisper.

"Turn your back on the room," said he, quietly. "Yes, Cary, they have.
There goes Keith's first chance of safety--yet it was a poor one from
the beginning."

"Can nobody intercede for him?"

"With whom? The Electress is dead: and they say she was the only one
who had much influence with the Elector."

"He has daughters," I suggested.

Ephraim shrugged his shoulders, as much as to say that was a very poor
hope.

"Your friend Mr Raymond, being a Whig," I urged, "might be able to do
something."

"I will see," said he. "Do you know that Miss Keith is to be in London
this evening?"

"Annas? No! I have never heard a word about it."

"I was told so," said Ephraim, looking hard at an engraving which he had
taken up.

I wondered very much who told him.

"She might possibly go to the Princess Caroline. People say she is the
best of the family. Bad is the best, I am afraid." [Note 2.]

"How did Mr Raymond come to know my Lady Inverness?"

"Oh, you discovered who she was, did you?"

"She told me herself."

"Ah!--I cannot say; I am not sure that he knew anything of her before
Tuesday night. She was our superior officer, and gave orders which we
obeyed--that was all."

"I cannot understand how Mr Raymond could have anything to do with it!"
cried I.

"Nor I, precisely. I believe there are wheels within wheels. Is he not
a friend of your uncle, Mr Drummond?--an old friend, I mean, when they
were young men."

"Possibly," said I; "I do not know."

Somebody came up now, and drew Ephraim away. I had no more private talk
with him. But how could he come to know anything about Annas? And
where is she going to be?

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morn