“Well, sir, at three this afternoon, two magistrates, John Cockshaw and William Peters—­”

("Both bitter Whigs,” Charlie put in.)

“—­Rode up to the door.  They had with them six constables, and twenty troopers.”

“There were enough of them, then,” Charlie said.  “Did they think my father was going to arm you all, and defend the place?”

“I don’t know, sir, but that is the number that came.  The magistrates, and the constables, and four of the soldiers came into the house.  Sir Marmaduke met them in the hall.

“‘To what do I owe the honour of this visit?’ he said, quite cold and haughty.

“’We have come, Sir Marmaduke Carstairs, to arrest you, on the charge of being concerned in a treasonable plot against the king’s life.’

“Sir Marmaduke laughed out loud.

“’I have no design on the life of William of Orange, or of any other man,’ he said.  ’I do not pretend to love him; in that matter there are thousands in this realm with me; but, as for a design against his life, I should say, gentlemen, there are few who know me, even among men like yourselves, whose politics are opposed to mine, who would for a moment credit such a foul insinuation.’

“‘We have nothing to do with that matter, Sir Marmaduke,’ John Cockshaw said.  ’We are acting upon a sworn information to that effect.’

“Sir Marmaduke was angry, now.

“‘I can guess the name of the dog who signed it,’ he said, ’and, kinsman though he is by marriage, I will force the lie down his throat.’

“Then he cooled down again.

“’Well, gentlemen, you have to do your duty.  What do you desire next?’

“’Our duty is, next, to search the house, for any treasonable documents that may be concealed here.’

“‘Search away, gentlemen,’ Sir Marmaduke said, seating himself in one of the settles.  ’The house is open to you.  My butler, James Banks, will go round with you, and will open for you any cupboard or chest that may be locked.’

“The magistrates nodded to the four soldiers.  Two of them took their post near the chair, one at the outside door, and one at the other end of the room.  Sir Marmaduke said nothing, but shrugged his shoulders, and then began to play with the ears of the little spaniel, Fido, that had jumped up on his knees.

“‘We will first go into the study,’ John Cockshaw said; and I led them there.

“They went straight to the cabinet with the pull-down desk, where Sir Marmaduke writes when he does write, which is not often.  It was locked, and I went to Sir Marmaduke for the key.

“‘You will find it in that French vase on the mantel,’ he said.  ’I don’t open the desk once in three months, and should lose the key, if I carried it with me.’

“I went to the mantel, turned the vase over, and the key dropped out.

“‘Sir Marmaduke has nothing to hide, gentlemen,’ I said, ’so, you see, he keeps the key here.’