" 'Tis well, sir," said Wellmere haughtily, and retreating
toward the door — "my situation protects you now; but a
time may come "

He had reached the entry, when a slight tap on his
shoulder caused him to turn his head; — it was Captain
Lawton, who, with a smile of peculiar meaning, beckoned
him to follow. The state of Wellmere's mind was such
that he would gladly have gone anywhere to avoid the gaze
of horror and detestation that glared from every eye he met.
They reached the stables before the trooper spoke, when he
cried aloud:

"Bring out Roanoke!"

His man appeared with the steed caparisoned for its
master. Lawton, coolly throwing the bridle on the neck of
the animal, took his pistols from the holsters, and continued:
" Here are weapons that have seen good service before to-
day — ay, and in honorable hands, sir. These were the
pi.stols of my father, CoJonel Wellmere; he used them with
credit in the wars with France, and gave them to me to fight
the battles of my country with. In what better way can



288 THE SPY.
