Again I hesitated. Ought I to tell of the old man's whereabouts? I could not see into the depths of Otho Killigrew's mind, but I felt assured that he had some purpose in bringing in Uncle Anthony's name. Did he desire to punish him for assisting Mistress Nancy Molesworth's escape? Did he think I might be led to speak of him and thus tell of my purpose in coming to Endellion. I was sure that this puzzled him sorely. Was it to find out this that he had braved the danger of visiting Tregothnan, the home of the man whose joy it was to find out treason and punish it? I knew next to nothing of the old story-teller. He might or might not be a political meddler. I was sure, however, that he was shrewd beyond common, and would have friends unknown to me. He had many hiding-places too, and in spite of his wound it was not likely that he would stay at the hermit's chapel. Then another thought struck me. If it was the purpose of Hugh Boscawen to arrest Uncle Anthony, the old man would surely be aware of it, and any information I might be able to give would effect but little. On the other hand, if he were told that Otho Killigrew had laid information concerning him, the keen old recluse would not hesitate to make out a bad case against the Killigrews, and, in spite of the part they were playing, would pull their mask aside, and show the Viscount their real sentiments. I therefore determined to speak freely. "When I last saw Uncle Anthony," I replied, "he was lying in a lonely chapel in the parish of St. Mawgan. He had been wounded by Otho Killigrew for seeking to defeat his evil purposes." "What evil purposes?" "I will let the old droll answer that, when you have taken him," I replied; "but it had naught to do with treason against the king." "Had it to do with the purpose for which you say you went to Endellion?" asked Sir John Grenville. "It had, Sir John." "Then let me tell you this," said the baronet, "it will be well for you if you will tell us the reason for which you took this journey and the event which led to this charge being made against you." At that moment I turned and caught the eye of Otho Killigrew; and from the eagerness with which he looked at me, I knew that he longed for me to answer Sir John's question. Was there something lurking behind of which I had no knowledge? Had Peter Trevisa and his son told me everything when he asked me to bring the maid, Nancy Molesworth, to them? Had Otho Killigrew come to the conclusion that I might help him to find out some valuable secrets? During the time he had been accusing me of treason, he had never once hinted at the truth. Did he know where Mistress Nancy was? And more than this, might not one of his reasons for placing himself in danger in order to cause my arrest be that he feared me? I remembered now that I knew nothing of the maid Nancy's life prior to her coming to Endellion, and I reproached myself for not asking her.