e either Hatty or I cared
a bit. I can answer for one of us, anyhow.

"Now sit down and rest yourself, Aunt Kezia," said I, when we reached
our chamber. "Oh, how delightful it is to have you! Is Father well?
Are we to go home?"

And then it flashed upon me--to go home, leaving Colonel Keith in
prison, and Annas and Flora in such a position! Must we do that? I
listened somewhat anxiously for my Aunt Kezia's answer.

"It is pleasant to see you, girls, I can tell you. And it is double
pleasant to have such a hearty welcome to anybody. Your Father and
Sophy are quite well, and everybody else. You are to go home?--ay: but
when, we'll see by-and-by. But now I want my questions answered, if you
please. I shall be glad to know what has come to you both? I sent off
two throddy, rosy-cheeked maids to London, that did a bit of credit to
Cumberland air and country milk, and here are two poor, thin, limp,
white creatures, that look as if they had lost all the sunshine out of
them. What have you been doing to yourselves?--or what has somebody
else been doing to you? Which is it?"

"Cary must speak for herself," said Hatty, "Hatty must speak for
herself," said I.

Hatty laughed.

"It is somebody else, with Hatty," I went on, "and I don't quite know
how it is with me, Aunt Kezia. I have been feeling for some weeks past
as if I had the world on my shoulders."

"Your shoulders are not strong enough for that, child," replied my Aunt
Kezia. "There is but one shoulder which can carry the world. `The
government shall be upon His shoulder.' You may well look poor if you
have been at that work. Where are Flora and Miss Keith?--and what has
become of their brothers, both?"

"Annas and Flora have just come back to London," said Hatty. "But Angus
is in dreadful trouble, Aunt; and I do not know where Colonel Keith is--
with the Prince, I suppose."

"No, Hatty," said I. "Aunt Kezia, Angus is safe, but an exile in
France; and Colonel Keith lies in Newgate Prison, waiting for death."

"What do you know about it?" asked Hatty, in an astonished tone.

My Aunt Kezia looked from one of us to the other.

"You cannot both be right," said she. "I hope you are mistaken, Cary."

"I have no chance to be so," I answered; and I heard my voice tremble.
"Colonel Keith bought Angus's freedom with his own life. At least,
there is every reason to fear that result, and none to hope."

"Then that man who escaped was Angus?" asked