THE LOVE TOKEN. 323 



of conveying, or at least of having her conveyed to her husband's home. 

 He knew that this, by his followers, would be considered as an act of 

 treachery as well as of imprudence, since they looked upon Lady 

 Mauden as an hostage, to be of no small importance in case of a defeat, 

 or of stipulations. But this opposition he disregarded ; he would stake 

 his life upon the fulfilment of his promise to her, that she should be 

 returned to her friends ; and that night he determined should be the 

 time. However, to guard against contentions or divisions, so fatal to an 

 insurrectionary cause, he determined to manage the affair with as much 

 prudence as possible. For this purpose he at the present concealed his 

 intention, and merely ordered a chosen body again to be ready at dusk, 

 with Lady Mauden's carriage, hinting that she should be conveyed to a 

 place of greater security. In the course of the day, several messages 

 and letters were brought to the general from inferior officers, and from 

 equals in more distant districts ; his time was occupied in giving 

 instructions consequent on the communications, and preparing for an 

 important engagement that was expected the next or following day. 

 But the evening at length arrived, and the time of parting from Emma 

 was fast approaching. He hardly dared to meet it even in thought, 

 but it must be met. 



It was now nine o'clock, the dusk was darkening and the carriage was 

 in attendance. Two hundred rebel horse were in readiness, and George 

 waiting at the chamber door. She came out, her veil down. He 

 offered her his arm in silence, and as she took it, she whispered, " I thank 

 you for this." He could not reply ; but handed her into the coach, and 

 was about to close the door himself, when his arm was caught by a 

 messenger, who said to him with breathless and hurried accents 

 " Read this, general, and make haste." At the same time he put a 

 printed paper into his hands. George read it, nor did he evince much 

 alarm in his countenance, when he found it was a proclamation " offering 

 pardon and 2,000 guineas to any one who would bring alive, or pardon 

 and 1,000 guineas to whoever would bring dead the said George Leslie." 

 Having gone through it, he remained for a moment in thought, his 

 hand still on the carriage-door, and then looking at Lady Mauden, who 

 had been watching him with intense interest, he put the proclamation 

 into her hands. But she did not read it with his coolness, on coming to 

 that part which said, " and whoever shall bring the said George Leslie, 

 dead, shall be " the peril of his situation amongst a set of men whom 

 as papists, she was from childhood taught to consider capable of any 

 crime of treachery or assassination, rushed upon her mind, and she fell 

 back in the carriage, overpowered with mingled horror, terror, and 

 grief. The wildness and confusion of her thoughts prevented her from 

 recollecting her own situation at the present instant, and when Leslie 

 gently took the paper from her hands, she said falteringly, " God, 

 protect you George." 



His answer was, " I care not much ; they may do what they will or 

 can ; I am satisfied, since you " 



" Who, I," she interrupted him hurridly. " I tell him to drive on 

 I, what " alas, the struggle was vain she fell forward upon his arm, 

 and all was over. 



Nothing now was heard by George, but her sighs and hysteric sobs, 

 nothing was seen but the fair face and disordered hair which lay upon 



