herba?'"

"Aye, but they cannot escape us. These worshippers of liberty, who would
fain be martyrs to her cause, shall not elude the vigilance of justice.
I need not add, that you are not the object of our search, Colonel."

"Scarcely, my lad," returned Temple, with a smile, "for my mythology has
taught me, that these kindred deities are so nearly allied that the true
votaries of liberty will ever be pilgrims to the shrine of justice."

"And the pseudo votaries of freedom," continued Bernard, "who would
divide the sister goddesses, should be offered up as a sacrifice to
appease the neglected deity."

"Well, maybe so," returned Temple; "but neither religion nor government
should demand human sacrifices to a great extent. A few of the prominent
leaders might well be cut off to strike terror into the hearts of the
rest. Thus the demands of justice would be satisfied, consistently with
clemency which mercy would dictate."

"My dear sir, a hecatomb would not satisfy Berkeley. I am but his
minister, and could not, if I would, arrest his arm. Even now I come by
his express directions to ascertain whether any of the rebels may be
secreted near your residence. While he does not for a moment suspect
your loyalty, yet one of the villains, and he among the foremost in the
rebellion, has been traced in this direction."

"Sir," cried Temple, colouring with honest indignation; "dare you
suspect that I could harbour a rebel beneath my roof! But remember, that
I would as lief do that, abhorrent though it be to my principles, as to
harbour a spy."

"My dear sir," said Bernard, softly, "you mistake me most strangely, if
you suppose that I could lodge such a suspicion for a moment in my
heart; nor have I come as a spy upon your privacy, but to seek your
counsel. Sir William Berkeley is so well convinced of your stern and
unflinching faith, that he enjoins me to apply to you early for advice
as to how I should proceed in my duty."

"Well, my dear boy," said Temple, relapsing into good humour, for he was
not proof against the tempting bait of flattery, "you must pardon the
haste of an old man, who cannot bear any imputation upon his devotion to
the cause of his royal master. While I cannot aid you in your search, my
house is freely open to yourself and your party for such time as you may
think proper to use it."

"You have my thanks, my dear sir," said Bernard, "and indeed you are
entitled to the gratitude of the whole government.