edience　on　my　part　would　lead　to　some　wild　explosion。　　I　felt；　from　the　emergency　of　the　occasion；　a　sudden　presence　of　mind；　and　resolved　to　do　anything　that　might　avert　violence　and　bloodshed。　I　was　not　long　held　in　suspense。　　A　loud　flourish　of　trumpets　and　the　voice　of　heralds　were　mixed　with　the　clatter　of　horses'　hoofs；　while　a　champion；　armed　at　all　points　like　those　I　had　read　of　in　romances；　attended　by　squires；　pages；　and　the　whole　retinue　of　chivalry；　pranced　forward；　mounted　upon　a　barbed　steed。　　His　challenge；　in　defiance　of　all　who　dared　impeach　the　title　of　the　new　sovereign；　was　recited　aloudonce；　and　again。
  '〃　Rush　in　at　the　third　sounding；〃　said　my　uncle　to　me；　〃bring　me　the　parader's　gage；　and　leave　mine　in　lieu　of　it。〃
  'I　could　not　see　how　this　was　to　be　done；　as　we　were　surrounded　by　people　on　all　sides。　　But；　at　the　third　sounding　of　the　trumpets；　a　lane　opened　as　if　by　word　of　command；　betwixt　me　and　the　champion；　and　my　uncle's　voice　said；　〃Now；　Lilias；　NOW！〃
  'With　a　swift　and　yet　steady　step；　and　with　a　presence　of　mind　for　which　I　have　never　since　been　able　to　account；　I　discharged　the　perilous　commission。　　I　was　hardly　seen；　I　believe；　as　I　exchanged　the　pledges　of　battle；　and　in　an　instant　retired。　〃Nobly　done；　my　girl！〃　　said　my　uncle；　at　whose　side　I　found　myself；　shrouded　as　I　was　before；　by　the　interposition　of　the　bystanders。　　〃Cover　our　retreat；　gentlemen；〃　he　whispered　to　those　around　him。
  'Room　was　made　for　us　to　approach　the　wall；　which　seemed　to　open；　and　we　were　again　involved　in　the　dark　passages　through　which　we　had　formerly　passed。　　In　a　small　anteroom；　my　uncle　stopped；　and　hastily　muffling　me　in　a　mantle　which　was　lying　there；　we　passed　the　guardsthreaded　the　labyrinth　of　empty　streets　and　courts；　and　reached　our　retired　lodgings　without　attracting　the　least　attention。'
  'I　have　often　heard；'　said　Darsie；　'that　a　female；　supposed　to　be　a　man　in　disguise；and　yet；　Lilias；　you　do　not　look　very　masculine；had　taken　up　the　champion's　gauntlet　at　the　present　king's　coronation；　and　left　in　its　place　a　gage　of　battle；　with　a　paper；　offering　to　accept　the　combat；　provided　a　fair　field　should　be　allowed　for　it。　　I　have　hitherto　considered　it　as　an　idle　tale。　　I　little　thought　how　nearly　I　was　interested　in　the　actors　of　a　scene　so　daring。　　How　could　you　have　courage　to　go　through　with　it？'　　＇See　Note　9。＇
  'Had　I　had　leisure　for　reflection；'　answered　his　sister；　'I　should　have　refused；　from　a　mixture　of　principle　and　of　fear。　But；　like　many　people　who　do　daring　actions；　I　went　on　because　I　had　not　time　to　think　of　retreating。　　The　matter　was　little　known；　and　it　is　said　the　king　had　commanded　that　it　should　not　be　further　inquired　into；from　prudence；　as　I　suppose；　and　lenity；　though　my　uncle　chooses　to　ascribe　the　forbearance　of　the　Elector　of　Hanover；　as　he　calls　him；　sometimes　to　pusillanimity；　and　sometimes　to　a　presumptuous　scorn　of　the　faction　who　opposes　his　title。'
  'And　have　your　subsequent　agencies　under　this　frantic　enthusiast；'　said　Darsie；　'equalled　this　in　danger？'
  'Nonor　in　importance；'　replied　Lilias；　'though　I　have　witnessed　much　of　the　strange　and　desperate　machinations；　by　which；　in　spite　of　every　obstacle；　and　in　contempt　of　every　danger；　he　endeavours　to　awaken　the　courage　of　a　broken　party。　　I　have　traversed；　in　his　company；　all　England　and　Scotland；　and　have　visited　the　most　extraordinary　and　contrasted　scenes；　now　lodging　at　the　castles　of　the　proud　gentry　of　Cheshire　and　Wales；　where　the　retired　aristocrats；　with　opinions　as　antiquated　as　their　dwellings　and　their　manners；　still　continue　to　nourish　Jacobitical　principles；　and　the　next　week；　perhaps；　spent　among　outlawed　smugglers；　or　Highland　banditti。　　I　have　known　my　uncle　often　act　the　part　of　a　hero；　and　sometimes　that　of　a　mere　vulgar　conspirator；　and　turn　himself；　with　the　most　surprising　flexibility；　into　all　sorts　of　shapes　to　attract　proselytes　to　his　cause。'
  'Which；　in　the　present　day；'　said　Darsie；　'he　finds；　I　presume；　no　easy　task。'
  'So　difficult；'　said　Lilias；　'that；　I　believe；　he　has；　at　different　times；　disgusted　with　the　total　falling　away　of　some　friends；　and　the　coldness　of　others；　been　almost　on　the　point　of　resigning　his　undertaking。　　How　often　I　have　I　known　him　affect　an　open　brow　and　a　jovial　manner；　joining　in　the　games　of　the　gentry；　and　even　in　the　sports　of　the　common　people；　in　order　to　invest　himself　with　a　temporary　degree　of　popularity；　while；　in　fact；　his　heart　was　bursting　to　witness　what　he　called　the　degeneracy　of　the　times；　the　decay　of　activity　among　the　aged；　and　the　want　of　zeal　in　the　rising　generation。　　After　the　day　has　been　spent　in　the　hardest　exercise；　he　has　spent　the　night　in　pacing　his　solitary　chamber；　bewailing　the　downfall　of　the　cause；　and　wishing　for　the　bullet　of　Dundee　or　the　axe　of　Balmerino。'
  'A　strange　delusion；'　said　Darsie；　'and　it　is　wonderful　that　it　does　not　yield　to　the　force　of　reality。'
  'Ah；　but；'　replied　Lilias；　'realities　of　late　have　seemed　to　flatter　his　hopes。　　The　general　dissatisfaction　with　the　peace　the　unpopularity　of　the　minister；　which　has　extended　itself　even　to　the　person　of　his　masterthe　various　uproars　which　have　disturbed　the　peace　of　the　metropolis；　and　a　general　state　of　disgust　and　disaffection；　which　seems　to　affect　the　body　of　the　nation；　have　given　unwonted　encouragement　to　the　expiring　hopes　of　the　Jacobites；　and　induced　many；　both　at　the　Court　of　Rome；　and；　if　it　can　be　called　so；　of　the　Pretender；　to　lend　a　more　favourable　ear　than　they　had　hitherto　done　to　the　insinuations　of　those　who；　like　my　uncle；　hope；　when　hope　is　lost　to　all　but　themselves。　　Nay；　I　really　believe　that　at　this　moment　they　meditate　some　desperate　effort。　　My　uncle　has　been　doing　all　in　his　power；　of　late；　to　conciliate　the　affections　of　those　wild　communities　that　dwell　on　the　Solway；　over　whom　our　family　possessed　a　seignorial　interest　before　the　forfeiture；　and　amongst　whom；　on　the　occasion　of　1745；　our　unhappy　father's　interest；　with　his　own；　raised　a　considerable　body　of　men。　　But　they　are　no　longer　willing　to　obey　his　summons；　and；　as　one　apology　among　others；　they　allege　your　absence　as　their　natural　head　and　leader。　　This　has　increased　his　desire　to　obtain　possession　of　your　person；　and；　if　he　possibly　can；　to　influence　your　mind；　so　as　to　obtain　your　authority　to　his　proceedings。'
  'That　he　shall　never　obtain；'　answered　Darsie；　'my　principles　and　my　prudence　alike　forbid　such　a　step。　　Besides；　it　would　be　totally　unavailing　to　his　purpose。　　Whatever　these　people　may　pretend；　to　evade　your　uncle's　importunities；　they　cannot；　at　this　time　of　day；　think　of　subjecting　their　necks　again　to　the　feudal　yoke；　which　was　effectually　broken　by　the　act　of　1748；　abolishing　vassalage　and　hereditary　jurisdictions。'
  'Aye；　but　that　my　uncle　considers　as　the　act　of　a　usurping　government；'　said　Lilias。
  'Like　enough　he　may　think　so；'　answered　her　brother；　'for　he　is　a　superior；　and　loses　his　authority　by；　the　enactment。　　But　the　question　is；　what　the　vassals　will　think　of　it　who　have　gained　their　freedom　from　feudal　slavery；　and　have　now　enjoyed　that　freedom　for　many　years？　　However；　to　cut　the　matter　short；　if　five　hundred　men　would　rise　at　the　wagging　of　my　finger；　that　finger　shall　not　be　raised　in　a　cause　which　I　disapprove　of；　and　upon　that　my　uncle　may　reckon。'
  'But　you　may　temporize；'　said　Lilias；　upon　whom　the　idea　of　her　uncle's　displeasure　made　evidently　a　strong　impression；'you　may　temporize；　as　most　of　the　gentry　in　this　country　do；　and　let　the　bubble　burst　of　itself；　for　it　is　singular　how　few　of　them　venture　to　oppose　my　uncle　directly。　　I　entreat　you　to　avoid　direct　collision　with　him。　　To　hear　you；　the　head　of　the　House　of　Redgauntlet；　declare　against　the　family　of　Stuart；　would　either　break　his　heart；　or　drive　him　to　some　act　of　desperation。'
  'Yes；　but；　Lilias；　you　forget　that　the　consequences　of　such　an　act　of　complaisance　might　be；　that　the　House　of　Redgauntlet　and　I　might　lose　both　our　heads　at　one　blow。'
  'Alas！'　　said　she；　'I　had　forgotten　that　danger。　　I　have　grown　familiar　with　perilous　intrigues；　as　the　nurses　in　a　pest…house　are　said　to　become　accustomed　to　the　air　around　them；　till　they　forget　even　that　it　is　noisome。'
  'And　yet；'　said　Darsie；　'if　I　could　free　myself　from　him　without　coming　to　an　open　rupture。　　Tell　me；　Lilias；　do　you　think　it　possible　that　he　can　have　any　immediate　attempt　in　view？'
  'To　confess　the　truth；'　answered　Lilias；　'I　cannot　doubt　that　he　has。　　There　has　been　an　unusual　bustle　among　the　Jacobites　of　late。　　They　have　hopes；　as　I　told　you；　from　circumstances　unconnected　with　their　own　strength。　　Just　before　you　came　to　the　country；　my　uncle's　desire　to　find　you　out　became；　if　possible；　more　eager　than　everhe　talked　of　men　to　be　presently　brought　together；　and　of　your　name　and　influence　for　raising　them。　　At　this　very　time　your　first　visit　to　Brokenburn　took　place。　　A　suspicion　arose　in　my　uncle's　mind；　that　you　might　be　the　youth　he　sought；　and　it　was　strengthened　by　papers　and　letters　which　the　rascal　Nixon　did　not　hesitate　to　take　from　your　pocket。　　Yet　a　mistake　might　have　occasioned　a　fatal　explosion；　and　my　uncle　therefore　posted　to　Edinburgh　to　follow　out　the　clue　he　had　o