'You have a right to ask that, Colonel, but I have no right to answer you. It is a private affair wherein others are concerned. I should have remembered it before, but I did not. It only came into my mind when I was riding between the chestnut trees, and leaving my friend behind me.' Colonel Montague was silent for a little. 'In another man, Mr. Wogan, I should suspect an intention to meddle with these plots. But I have no need to remind you that such a proceeding would not be fair to me. And if Mr. Kelly's concerns have brought you back I cannot complain. Meanwhile how are you to lie hidden? I cannot keep you here.' 'There are one or two earths, Colonel, which are not yet stopped, I have no doubt. I did but take the liberty to use your lodging until it grew dark.' The evening was falling while Wogan and Montague thus talked together. Wogan wrote a letter which he put into his pocket, and holding the ends of his wig in his mouth, without any fear ran the hazard of the streets. Lady Mary Wortley Montagu was that evening adorning herself for a masquerade in her house, when word was carried to her that Lady Oxford's big lackey was below and had brought a letter. Lady Mary had no sooner glanced at the superscription than she sent her maid downstairs to bring the lackey immediately to her boudoir. Thither he came without awaking suspicion in the servants, and found Lady Mary sitting in front of her toilette, which was all lighted up with candles, and the rest of the room dark. Mr. Wogan remained in a dark corner by the door. 'You have a message from Lady Oxford,' said she, carelessly holding out a hand as though to take a letter. 'By word of mouth, your ladyship,' replied Wogan in a disguised voice. Lady Mary dismissed her maid and spoke in considerable heat: 'Colonel Montague told me you had escaped.' 'I have come back,' replied Wogan coolly, who had no reason to think he had justly incurred Lady Mary's anger, and so made no account of it. 'It is sheer madness,' she exclaimed, 'and yet no more mad than it is for your friends to take precautions for your safety,' and she dabbed a patch on her cheek viciously. 'Why have you come back?' 'Your ladyship has not forgotten how some while ago Lady Oxford paid her losses at cards.' Lady Mary raised her head from her mirror and looked at Wogan. 'With Mr. Kelly's winnings from the South Sea,' said she. 'Your ladyship was kind enough then to say that you would not count the money yours.' 'I remember.' 'But would keep it, since you could not return it to George, until such time as it could be used on his behalf.' Lady Mary took a key from a drawer in her toilette and, unlocking a cabinet in a corner of the room, showed Wogan a parcel of bills of exchange lying amongst a heap of guineas. 'The moment for using it has come,' said Wogan. 'Take it, then,' said Lady Mary, who now asked for no explanations. 'No. It is only of use if your ladyship uses it.' 'How?'