Page 52 - A Jacobite Exile
P. 52
learnt, or take any message I may send you for him.
"We must do nothing hastily. The first thing to learn, if possible, is whether
any of us are included in the charge of being concerned in a plot against
William's life. In the next place, who are the witnesses, and what evidence
they intend to give. No doubt the most important is the man who was
placed as a spy at Sir Marmaduke's."
"As I know his face, sir," Charlie said eagerly, "could I not find him, and
either force him to acknowledge that it is all false, or else kill him? I should
be in my right in doing that, surely, since he is trying to swear away my
father's life by false evidence."
"I should say nothing against that, lad. If ever a fellow deserved killing he
does; that is, next to his rascally employer. But his death would harm rather
than benefit us. It would be assumed, of course, that we had removed him
to prevent his giving evidence against us. No doubt his depositions have
been taken down, and they would then be assumed to be true, and we
should be worse off than if he could be confronted with us, face to face, in
the court. We must let the matter rest, at present."
"Would it be possible to get my father out of prison, sir? I am sure I can get
a dozen men, from among the tenants and grooms, who would gladly risk
their lives for him."
"Lancaster jail is a very strong place," Mr. Jervoise said, "and I fear there is
no possibility of rescuing him from it. Of course, at present we cannot say
where the trial will take place. A commission may be sent down, to hold a
special assizes at Lancaster, or the trial may take place in London. At any
rate, nothing whatever can be done, until we know more. I have means of
learning what takes place at Lancaster, for we have friends there, as well as
at most other places. When I hear from them the exact nature of the charge,
the evidence that will be given, and the names of those accused of being
mixed up in this pretended plot, I shall be better able to say what is to be
done.
