“But,” said Sir George Barkley, “depend upon it they will not go.  There is a determination in that young fellow’s look which is not to be mistaken.  He will submit to no power but that of the law.”

“Well, then,” said Sir John Fenwick, “frighten him with the law!  Declare that you will take them all before a magistrate, to give an account of the blood that has been shed here.  There is blood on his collar, and his face too, for I saw it; and the whole stairs is spotted with blood.  Tell them that both the men must surrender and go before a magistrate.  The ladies, you can say, may go where they like, and do what they like, but the men must surrender.  Let half of us go down with the men, and lead or force them to the ship, while the rest bring down the two women a few minutes after.”

“That is not a bad plan at all, Fenwick,” said Sir George Barkley.  “Let us see what can be done by it.  We can but come to blows at last.”

While the latter part of this conversation had been going on between Fenwick and Barkley, the Jacobite called Charnock and a dull-looking man not unlike himself, but only shorter and more broadly made, had been speaking together in a low voice behind.  At first their conversation was carried on in a whisper; but at length the man said somewhat louder, “Oh, I’ll do it!  That’s the only way to settle it.  You take the one, and I’ll take the other.  We don’t readily miss our mark either of us.”

“Let Sir George begin his story,” replied Charnock.  “There must be some talk at first, you know.  Then get quietly up behind our timid friends here, and when I give a nod, we will both fire at once.”

“I understand,” answered the other.  “You had better see that your pistols are primed, Charnock, and that the balls are not out, for you rode at a rate down that hill which would shake almost any ball into the holster.”

“I looked just now,” said Charnock—­“it’s all right.  Let us keep pretty near Sir George;” and turning round, he came nearer to Sir George Barkley, who was just finishing his conversation with Fenwick, as we have described.

While holding this long consultation, the insurgents had not been many paces from the door, and they now turned and re-entered the room.  The state of defence in which Wilton and his companion had placed themselves showed a degree of determination that seemed to surprise and puzzle them a good deal; for Sir George Barkley again paused, and spoke to Sir John Fenwick, who was close behind him.

“The more reason for doing as we propose,” replied Sir John to his friend’s observation.  “They will not resist going before a magistrate—­at least, Wilton Brown will not, and we can easily manage the other.”

Sir George Barkley then advanced another step, saying to Wilton, who, notwithstanding the barrier he had raised, was still quite visible as far as the waist, “We have consulted, sir, on what it is necessary to do with you, and if your own account of yourselves be true, you will readily acquiesce in our determination.  If you resist it, you show that you know yourselves to be guilty of some crime, and we must deal with you accordingly.”