The shedding of this young man's blood will not call back the lives that were dear to me; and how can it comfort me to think that there has maybe been another widowed mother made childless, like mysell, by a deed done at my very door-stane!" "This is stark madness," said Claverhouse; "I must do my duty to church and state.

Here are a thousand villains hard by in open rebellion, and you ask me to pardon a young fanatic who is enough of himself to set a whole kingdom in a blaze! It cannot be--Remove him, Bothwell." She who was most interested in this dreadful decision, had twice strove to speak, but her voice had totally failed her; her mind refused to suggest words, and her tongue to utter them.

She now sprung up and attempted to rush forward, but her strength gave way, and she would have fallen flat upon the pavement had she not been caught by her attendant.
"Help!" cried Jenny,--"Help, for God's sake! my young lady is dying." At this exclamation, Evandale, who, during the preceding part of the scene, had stood motionless, leaning upon his sword, now stepped forward, and said to his commanding-officer, "Colonel Grahame, before proceeding in this matter, will you speak a word with me in private ?" Claverhouse looked surprised, but instantly rose and withdrew with the young nobleman into a recess, where the following brief dialogue passed between them: "I think I need not remind you, Colonel, that when our family interest was of service to you last year in that affair in the privy-council, you considered yourself as laid under some obligation to us ?" "Certainly, my dear Evandale," answered Claverhouse, "I am not a man who forgets such debts; you will delight me by showing how I can evince my gratitude." "I will hold the debt cancelled," said Lord Evandale, "if you will spare this young man's life." "Evandale," replied Grahame, in great surprise, "you are mad--absolutely mad--what interest can you have in this young spawn of an old roundhead ?--His father was positively the most dangerous man in all Scotland, cool, resolute, soliderly, and inflexible in his cursed principles.

His son seems his very model; you cannot conceive the mischief he may do.

I know mankind, Evandale--were he an insignificant, fanatical, country booby, do you think I would have refused such a trifle as his life to Lady Margaret and this family?
But this is a lad of fire, zeal, and education--and these knaves want but such a leader to direct their blind enthusiastic hardiness.