of Heaven. I blame no man for aiding the Stuarts, until these successive great judgments have overwhelmed them and their house. I am not a bloody man; but if thou fail me, I will hang thee. Is the leaven of thy malignity all drubbed out of thee ?"

"Your honor has cudgelled it out of us," was the reply. Cromwell replied: "Thou dost not lie in that we have been an instrument. But it is full time to end these quarrels, and to allow all men the means of doing service to their country. It will be thy own fault if thou art not employed in the service of the state, on condition that thou listeneth to what I have to tell thee. Thou seest how things stand with me. Parliament loves me not; still less do the Council of State, by whom they manage the executive government of the kingdom. They nourish suspicion against me, because I will not let my innocent army be torn asunder, although I do not encourage rebellion.

"It would be a provocation on my part if, simply to gratify your worthy master, I were to act contrary to the purposes of Parliament and the Council, or deny currency to the commissioners under their authority to carry on the sequestration which they intend. It would be said that I

It

was lending my aid to the interest of a malignant. would be a perilous matter. Knowest thou not that thy master, Markham Everard, is a suitor after the sister of Albert Lee, who was with Charles Stuart at Worcester, and the daughter of Sir Henry Lee? What sort of a house is Woodstock?" asked the general abruptly.

"An old mansion, with an abundance of subterranean passages," replied Wildrake. "Where will these two Worcester fugitives take shelter," inquired the Protector, “other than in those places of concealment beneath the palace known from infancy to Alfred Lee, the malignant ?" Wildrake replied: "Truly, I think that the company who have occupied the mansion under the commissioners of Parliament would soon frighten them out of such corners." "I thought as much," said Cromwell; "and so indeed would I have it.

The conquest at Worcester was a first and crowning mercy. It is much to be desired that Charles Stuart should not escape from the land. Your master has seemed against this man and his father; but he is a near kinsman of the old knight, Lee, and loves his daughter. Thou also wilt keep a watch, my friend. That-that ruffling look of thine will procure thee the confidence of every malignant, and the prey cannot approach that place of concealment but thou wilt be sensible of his presence.

"Charles Stuart will, of course, not conceal himself in Woodstock while the sequestrators are in possession. Both the old knight and his son will see that the fugitive does not approach the lodge while these men are there. Under other circumstances, I would not dispossess the sequestrators by my own warrant; but if thy colonel will undertake, for the love of the republic, to prevent the concealment of this Stuart, who will likely fly to Woodstock, I will order these sequestrators to evacuate the place instantly, or be turned out by my troopers, even if they drag out Desborough, my sister's husband.

Cromwell continued: "What chiefly concerns me to know is, whether thy master will accept a proposition which offers such large profit. With a scout like thee, who hast been in the cavalier's quarters, and canst resume thy drinking, ruffianly manners whenever thou hast a mind, he must discover where this Stuart is concealed. Either his companion, the young Lee, will visit his father in person, or write to him. At all events, Markham Everard and thou must watch for him. Woe to you Woe to you if you suffer this young adventurer to escape You had better be in the deepest dungeon in Europe than breathe the air of England should you play me false. I have spoken freely to thee, fellow. Tell your master what I have said, but not that I said it in passion.'

me.

"I would know," said Wildrake, "what is the figure of this young gallant if I should find him?" "A tall, rawboned, swarthy lad, they say," said Cromwell. "Here is

his picture by a good artist."

He turned round one of the

portraits which hung with its face to the wall, but it proved not to be that of Charles the Second, but of his unhappy father. Placing the picture against the wall, the Protector withdrew a few steps, slowly and sternly, as if in defiance of his own feelings he was determined to see it from a good standpoint. It was well for Wildrake that Cromwell had not turned an eye on him, for his blood was also kindled when he saw the portrait of his master in the hands of the chief author of his death. Being a fierce and desperate man, he commanded his passion with great difficulty, and had he been provided with a suitable weapon might possibly have abruptly ended Cromwell's life on the spot.

But this sudden indignation on his part was presently subdued when confronted with the stronger yet stifled emotion displayed by so powerful a character as Cromwell, whom he looked upon with fear and wonder. So true it is that men of great minds bear aside and subdue, in their climax of passion, the more feeble wills of others; as when a river joins a brook, the fiercer torrent pushes aside the smaller stream.

Wildrake stood, a silent and almost terrified spectator, while Cromwell, assuming a firm sternness of eye and manner, proceeded in brief expressions to comment on the portrait of the late king. He seemed to be speaking to himself, and unburdening his own bosom, swelling under recollections of the past and anticipations of the future.

"That Flemish painter, Antonio van Dyck-what a power had he? Steel may mutilate, warriors may destroy-still the king stands uninjured by time; and our grandchildren, while they read his history, may look on his image, and compare the melancholy picture with the woful end. It was a stern necessity, an awful deed! The calm pride of that eye might have ruled worlds of crouching Frenchmen, or supple Italians, or formal Spaniards; but its glances only aroused the native courage of the stern Englishman. Lay not on yon sinful man the blame of his fall, when Heaven

never gave him strength of nerve to stand. The weak rider is thrown, and trampled on; the strongest man springs in the empty saddle, and controls the fiery steed. Who blames him who rides triumphantly among the people for having succeeded where the unskilful and feeble one has failed? Verily he had his reward. Let this painted canvas show to others the reproaches of that cold, calm face; that proud yet complaining eye; we have no cause to start at painted shadows. Not wealth or power brought me from obscurity. The oppressed consciences, the injuries of England, were the banner that I followed."

As he raised his voice in uttering these final words, his daughter hastily entered the room. She walked up to Cromwell and gently seized his arm, saying in a persuasive tone: "Father, this is not well; you have promised me that this should not happen." The general hung down his head, and. yielding to an affectionate impulse, left the apartment.

IX. IT had been reported that Cromwell, the deep and sagacious statesman, the calm and intrepid commander, who had overcome great difficulties, and ascended vast heights, had a constitutional taint of melancholy, which first appeared when he abandoned entirely the dissolute freaks of youth and embraced a strict cause of religious observance. This extraordinary man is said to have yielded to spiritual delusions or prophetic inspirations of approaching grandeur, and of strange, deep, and mysterious agencies.

Awed by what he had witnessed, Wildrake felt some anxiety on his own account, as he knew it was dangerous. to be a witness of the infirmities of men high in power. But Cromwell was free from jealous suspicion or bloodthirstiness. After the lapse of an hour, Pearson, the servant, appeared in the room, and conducted Wildrake to a remote apartment, where he found the general seated on a low couch. His daughter was seated sewing at some distance.

เ

'Comrade," said Cromwell, "your old friends, the cavaliers, regard me as their enemy, and act as if they desired to make me such. They are prejudiced; for I regard them as honorable fools, who were silly enough to run their necks into nooses in order that Stuart be made their king. Yet there are other names as good as that of Charles Stuart, for the high title of king would illumine any name. Here

is an order, in my name, for thy master to clear the lodge at Woodstock and take possession himself, or appoint some one to do so. He will doubtless have his uncle and his pretty cousin with him. Farewell. Think on what I have said. Thou knowest my purpose. Watch and keep a constant and careful lookout upon every ragged traveller; for a beggar's hut may cover a king's ransom. Here is some money. Once more, think on what thou hast heard-forget what thou hast been. Remember, and forget. My respects to thy master.

Wildrake thereupon hastily left Windsor and returned that day to Woodstock, where he found his master anxiously awaiting him. As Wildrake handed Everard the packet, he said: "This deed is granted thee on conditions thou shouldst not accept." Everard replied: "You have exaggerated ideas of loyalty. Although I regard with sorrow the downfall of our ancient monarchy, yet the royal cause is mine, even if every cavalier in England has sworn the contrary. The Parliament is now reduced to a mere handful of statesmen, who have in time lost the respect of the people. They cannot stand long, unless they reduce the army, who refuse to consent to be reduced, as they know their strength. Unless they be ruled, military law may be expected in this land; and only through wisdom and forbearance will our privileges be preserved.

"You know my secret," continued Everard. "I am doing the best that I can, and I sincerely wish that the king would be restored on good terms. I am, therefore, an unwilling rebel. God knows I never laid aside love and reverence for the king even in drawing my sword