Page 205 - A Jacobite Exile

"This comes of letting that Jew escape," the captain said. "No doubt he told
the story his own way, and the Jewish traders went to the governor and

asked that troops should be sent to root us out. Well, they are far enough
away at present, and I have sent off to have their movements watched. It is

a good nine miles, from here to the hut, and they may look for a week
before they find this place, unless that rascally Jew has heard of it from the
woodman, or they get hold of the fellow himself, though I should think they

will hardly do that. I fancy he has some cause of quarrel with the
authorities, and will not put himself in the way of being questioned closely,

if he can help it."

The next morning when Charlie awoke, two men were standing beside him.

His eyes first fell on the one who had been to the town, and who held a
large bundle in his hand. Then he turned his eyes to the other, and gave an

exclamation of pleasure, as he saw that it was Stanislas. He looked pale and
weak, and was evidently just recovering from a severe illness.

"Why, Stanislas!" he exclaimed. "This is a pleasure, indeed. I never for a
moment dreamt of seeing you. I heard from the Jew who guarded me that

you got away, but I was afraid that you had been badly wounded. Why, my
brave fellow, what brings you here?"

"I have come to be with your honour," the man said. "It was, of course, my
duty to be by your side. I was very ill for a week, for I had half a dozen

wounds, but I managed, after the assailants left me, to crawl back to Mr.
Ramsay's to tell him what had happened. I don't remember much about the
next few days. Since then I have been mending rapidly. None of the

wounds were very serious, and it was more loss of blood, than anything
else, that ailed me. Mr. Ramsay searched high and low for you, and we had

all given you up for dead, till a few hours before this man arrived with your
letter.

"We heard you had killed Ben Soloman. I had a long talk with your
messenger, who received a handsome present from Mr. Ramsay, and he

agreed to conduct me here, upon my solemn promise that, if the captain
would not receive me, I would not give any information, on my return, as to