“This war must be ended, my Lord,” said Selwyn. “Give Barclugh every opportunity to win the leaders. Keep the army, under that drawing-room general, Sir Henry, at a respectful distance from the wily Washington; let Barclugh ply his arts among the substantial Colonists, and you will return as the savior of the Colonies and a Parliamentary grant will await you.” “But suppose the plans fail, George, what then?” anxiously queried Carlisle. “Nothing fails that Britons put their hands and hearts to,” expostulated Selwyn. “Start to-morrow; be on the scene--Barclugh will follow. Nothing daunts the ambitious Briton; we must succeed, or ruin stares us in the face. The continuous drain upon our resources at the gaming-table has sapped our substance,--we must have funds from government or give up our life at the Club. Carlisle, the game depends upon you.” Thus reasoned Selwyn, for he knew that the select few who practised high play at Brooks’ had exhausted the resources of their set, and the only legitimate prey at hand was the funds of government to be won at the game of Colonial politics. Carlisle left on the first ship for New York, and Barclugh was to leave as soon as Lord Germaine could fix up the funds and credentials for him to carry to the scene of war in America. Roderick Barclugh was fitted by environment and education to become a diplomat of no mean order. Born in 1749, his parentage a Scotch father and a French mother--the rare combination of shrewdness and finesse--whose traditions on one side led back to the cause of the Stuarts, and a line of court favorites of the French monarch on the other--distinguished him for a life of bold intrigue. His grandfather, Sir George Barclugh, quit his native land with the Pretender, James II. His father was reared in Paris, and married the French Queen’s lady-in-waiting, Marie La Fitte. The union was happy and two sons were the issue. The older was named George Barclugh and the younger Roderick. The boys grew up surrounded by all the elegant manners of the French Court at this period. At twenty-two years of age Roderick Barclugh could speak English, French and Spanish. He was tall and vigorous in constitution; endowed with shrewd, steely-blue eyes and a prominent aquiline nose. Firmness and fortitude were in every expression of his eyes and mouth. His hair was reddish-brown in color--partaking of the auburn locks of his Scotch grandfather, and the black of his mother’s race. He was faultless in his easy manner when in society of ladies, and when among men inclined to be brusque and haughty. His eyes had a merry assurance of good will; yet therein could be found firmness, determination and passion. His voice was trained for the dulcet tones of persuasion, and, at will, he could command the robust tones of his father’s race.