"Sir Hugh Richmond," interposed Master Abadie, "hath said that you are to give yourself no concern as to his fortune, but you are to go at once to the King. Some means must be found to get you safely out of Edinburgh before the morning. He bids you think not of him, but of your father." "What is the punishment should Sir Hugh be found guilty, Master Abadie?" "As he is a soldier," said the advocate, "he may have choice of being shot rather than be beheaded." "I cannot sacrifice his life to save my father's," I continued, sick at heart and, I make no doubt, white to the lips at the dreadful alternative Fate had propounded to me. "I have no right to do so." "Sir Hugh is an officer of the King's Guards," broke in Master Dunner. "They will not execute him without royal approval." "Ay," assented the other advocate. "General Ramesay is his friend. They will not hasten the procedure. I have his word on 't." "But, if I surrender myself, they will let him go free at once, and..." "And your father, the Earl!" cried Master Dunner. "God help me!" I moaned. "Ay, so may He do!" was the answer. "But be advised by me, madam," continued my old friend. "My brother advocate and I here have talked the matter over carefully. The appeal for your father must go to the King. The one chance of clemency for Sir Hugh Richmond is there as well. I tell you plainly that, even though you were to give yourself up, which no gentleman could suffer under any circumstances, his guilt in the eyes of the law would be none the less plain. It is not only your father's life, but Sir Hugh's as well and your own liberty, that depend upon the King's action; and the sooner you appeal to him, the better it will be for you all." There was sound sense in this certainly. "Can I not see my father or Sir Hugh before I go?" "It would be impossible," cried both gentlemen in a breath, "and fatal even if it could be brought about!" "Can you get me out of Edinburgh at this hour of the night?" "Ay," was the immediate answer. "Five hundred pounds hath bribed a soldier at the Dumfries gate. But it must be done within the hour or not at all." "I have my clothes, but I shall need another horse?" "It shall be here, it should be here now, for we have already taken order for it, anticipating your consent," answered Master Dunner. "How doth your wound?" "I suffer nothing from it, the pain in my heart is so great," I said. "'Tis a hard fortune that drives you on." "Hard indeed," said I, "but we cannot repine over that. The King fortunately is at Durham according to Sir Hugh's word. I should be there within the week." "I would you had some one to ride with you!" cried Master Dunner. "I had best go alone," I answered. "But if you should be stopped in the way, Lady Katharine?" "Think you," I cried, "that I have gone through all these perils and dangers to be stopped in the way?"