‘Well, what said he to persuade my poor lad?’ asked aunt.

’Why, he bade him remember certain works of mercy he had already in hand, which should not be neglected to gratify a mad fancy of thrusting his head in the lion’s mouth whenever it was opened against him.  So Master Andrew was ashamed of his rashness, and was persuaded to take himself away for a time; and we parted very lovingly.  He says it shall not be long ere you hear from him, mistress.’

I believe, in spite of Matthew’s contrary opinion, that Andrew’s counsellor was no other than the famous man whom our aunt had named.  But I have no proof of this, only mine own strong persuasion.

Not many days hereafter, we had proof that Mr. Stokes had been very honest in his warning to us.  There came constables to the Grange, who showed a warrant to seize the body of Andrew Golding, charged with many strange misdemeanours, but especially with refusing the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance.  I do not believe the poor youth ever had refused them; but this was the common trap set for the Friends, who were known to decline all oath-taking, because of that saying of our Lord’s, ’Swear not at all,’—­a harmless scruple at the worst, which never ought to be used, as I think, against honest and peaceable subjects.

We were now heartily glad that Andrew was absent, and that we could truly say, we knew not where he was; nor were the constables much grieved at it.  One of them found an occasion of whispering to Aunt Golding, ’If you can get word to the young man, let him know this air is unwholesome for him just now;’ after which they went hastily away.

And now we began to be haunted with spies, our steps seeming to be dogged even in our own garden, where we were aware of people moving about behind trees and bushes, as if hearkening after our talk; or we caught sight of faces peering in at the windows when we were at evening prayer.  Also our friends and neighbours began to shun us as if we had the plague, and no one more than Mrs. Bonithorne, who had been a great worshipper of Mr. Truelocke, but now, as we heard, blamed him openly for his lack of true obedience to the powers that be, ’which are ordained of God,’ she would often add.  It was her husband who told us this as a good jest; but it hurt Mr. Truelocke, and he became more set on his design of leaving the Grange, and betaking himself to his kinsfolk in Cumberland, where among the waste and lonely mountains he might linger out his days without offence to any.  I could not hear him talk of this plan without tears, which he perceiving tried to stop.

‘Seest thou, dear child,’ he would say, ’all these discomforts come upon this house because of my abode in it; for as for poor Andrew, he is known to be elsewhere, and however peaceably I may behave myself, you will be allowed no peace till I am either gone out of sight like him, or lodged in gaol for some fancied offence.  Which were best, thinkest thou, Lucy?’ and when I had no answer but weeping, he would leave that point and begin to talk of Harry’s ship, the Good Hope, of which we had got some news, and would speak hopefully of the joyful meeting we should have when that ship came home.