"If you are a true and loyal subject, you will be glad to give
information whereby all traitors can be brought to book," replied
Boscawen. "I mentioned just now the name of one who, when you were with
him, was known as a traveling droll, by the name of Uncle Anthony. As I
told you, he is the most dangerous man in the county. Will you tell us
what you know of him?"
"I know Uncle Anthony as a welcome guest of Colman Killigrew," I
replied. "When first I went to Endellion I was attacked by Otho
Killigrew's brother, and they would perchance have done me harm but for
the interference of the old man to whom you refer. As soon as they saw
that he was my companion they received me kindly. When I entered the
house I perceived that he was treated with great respect--almost as an
honoured guest."
"I may say," replied Otho calmly, "that this is true. My father had
doubts concerning him, but would do nothing against him until he was
absolutely sure of his guilt. Knowing of the reports circulated about
our family he came to our house and was received kindly, as we try to
receive all visitors. It was during his last visit that my father's
suspicions concerning him were confirmed."
"Then," cried I, "why did you not arrest him?"
"I may also say," went on Otho, without seeming to notice me, "that by
some secret means unknown to us, he left on the same night he arrived
with Roger Trevanion. But even had he stayed he would have been safe."
"Why?" asked Sir John Grenville.
"Because," replied Otho, "he entered our house as a guest,--as a humble
one, it is true, but still as a guest, and therefore we could take no
steps against him. When gone, however, and we had been able to verify
our doubts concerning him, I deemed it right to mention the fact of his
visit to my Lord Falmouth."
"But he hath long been known to me as a dangerous man," cried Hugh
Boscawen.
"We live far away from centers of information at Endellion," replied
Otho humbly.
"And you say that Roger Trevanion knows where this man can be found?"
"I know that he has been the companion of the man," replied Otho, "and
that he can probably tell where he now resides."
"I do not know," I replied, thinking that he might have removed from the
lonely chapel.
"When saw you him last, and where?" asked Hugh Boscawen.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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