"coals of fire." 185 



pounds, and, by the same post, a few lines from Will Beau- 

 champ, enclosing a note for fifty pounds, which ran thus : — 



" Vernon, 



" I hear tily forgive your ill-founded hatred towards myself, for 

 -which I never could assign a cause, and trust you may return to this 

 country a happier and better man. Accejit this trifle from yours truly, 



" William Beauchamp." 



" There, Fitzgerald," said Vernon, handing him Beauchamp's 

 letter ; " that hurts and cuts me to the quick — that man I 

 have injured, traduced, and vilified more than all, and it was 

 from hatred to him that I joined in this infernal plot to give 

 Miss Douglas into Vancourt's power, fearing she loved Beau- 

 champ ; envy and jealousy led me on, as I once tried hard to 

 gain her myself." 



" Well, Vernon, this is a pretty confession ; but now, what 

 are your present feelings towards him *? " 



" All that I can do to help his cause and Malcolm's shall be 

 done." 



" That's right, Vernon; you have been tramping long enough 

 and too long to the tune of the l Rogue's March,' and I hope 

 you now see that ' Honesty is the best Policy.' " 



Relieved of a load of care by these timely and unexpected 

 remittances, Vernon felt more at ease, and next addressed a 

 very penitential letter to Lord Mervyn, pleading his affection 

 for his daughter as an excuse for his conduct in carrying her 

 off; depicting in glowing colours her incessant care and anxiety 

 about him when at the point of death, and expressing his 

 resolution to lead a new life and devote all his energies to make 

 her happy. He also stated that, to atone for his past conduct, 

 he had made a confession to Lord Malcolm of his participation 

 with Lord Vancourt in the plot to carry off Miss Douglas, 

 without, however, revealing other names, as he had been most 

 inhumanly treated by his lordship, who had conspired against 

 his life, and left him almost dying in Paris without a shilling. 

 On the receipt of this letter from his worthy son-in-law, Lord 

 Mervyn became seriously alarmed, and fearing Vernon's vindic- 

 tive character, thought he would be safer under his own eye 

 than exposed to that of the opposing party; he therefore 

 enclosed him a handsome sum of money to defray his travelling 

 expenses when able to move, with an invitation to Marston 

 Castle. 



