Page 209 - A Jacobite Exile

authorities are determined to catch you, if possible. If you had killed half a
dozen traders in a smaller way, they would have cared little about it; but

just at present, pressed as the king is by want of money, he is bound to do
everything he can to please the Jewish traders, as it is upon them that he

must rely for loans for the payment of his troops.

"In this matter, then, he will leave no stone unturned to gratify them, and I

should strongly advise your band to move away from the neighbourhood, at
any rate for a time. They may plunder whole villages with impunity, but

what is regarded as the murder of the richest citizen of Warsaw, a man
mixed up in business and politics with half the principal nobles of the land,
is a different matter altogether. Do not think of trying to traverse the

country until you are perfectly strong. It will be a dangerous business at the
best, but with your man with you, to bear the brunt of replying to questions,

I have every confidence that you will succeed in making your way through.
As to this, I can give no advice, as there is no saying as to the point from
which you may start, or the directions in which you may travel.

"Should you, at any time, find yourself in a town in which there are any of

my countrymen established in trade, and you will find them nearly
everywhere, use my name. I think it is pretty generally known to
Scotchmen in Poland. You will see I have inclosed a note that will be

useful to you."

The inclosure contained only a few words:

"I, Allan Ramsay, merchant of Warsaw, do declare the bearer of this note to

be my friend, and beg any countrymen of mine, to whom he may present
himself, to assist him in every way, and, should he require money, to

furnish him with it, I undertaking to make myself responsible for the same,
and to pay all monies and other charges that he may incur."

"The first thing to do," Charlie said, as he placed the letters in his doublet,
"is to let the leader of our band know that other bodies of troops, besides

that at the hut, are about to enter the forest. He may decide that it is
necessary to march away at once."