The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-06-27

had counted upon his doing and rW traeted his accusation.
 As to Di all Rob Roy would say was that she now under authority with His Excellency." Who was. His Excellency2 Rob Roy would not say. "Then she is married" thought Frank in an agony of despair.
 Rob Roy paid the Bailie his thousand pounds Scotch with money which came from St. Germains, and Frank, having the packet he had come for, the two vis- itors were conducted back to the outskirts of Glasgow.
 At Glasgow Frank found his father, who had come north with abundant funds to meet his obligations. Father, and son were reconeiled and the young man hum- ply announced that he would enter the paternal counting room. The good Bailie was made sole representative of the Osbaldistone firm in Scotland and Frank and his father set out for London.
 But now the flames of civil war were lighted in Scotland and England. '"rhe standard on the braes of Mar was up. and glancing fairly" and Bonnie Prince Charley fought for the throne of his an- cestors. When the war was over, Sir Hilderbrand was a prisoner who fingered but little and died. His five stout sons had been killed in battle or died other violent deaths. Only Rashleigh survived ! his father, and him Sir Hilderbrand had cut off by will for his treachery to the Stuart cause.
 The estate of Osbaldistone Hall was left | old nfebt to TNrap foth the merchant told his son to go and take possession, not doubting that the life of country squire would be more to his liking than a mercantile career. So Frank rode again to the old hall and in his train went Andrew Fairservice, who had been liberated by the Duke of Athol after the escape of his master. The memory of Diana Vernon made the old house a sad and sacred place for l Frank. Soon after taking possession he rode over to pay his respects to Squire Inglewood. The jolly old justice was hale and hearty still and bade his guest
 fill glass to Di Vernon, the rose of the wilderness, the heatherben of Chev-. 1 iot'
 Diana Vernon isis married?" stam- mered Frank.
 4Iarried, pooh, pooh!' cried the justice.
 "No more married than you are.' Then who was His Excellency?' asked
 Frank
 Why do you not know" responded Inglewood. His Excellency and Duke of Beauehamp by grace of the King over the Water? He is Dis father Sir Fred eriek Vernon or Father Vaughn, as he used to be called when he prowled about here. He was engaged in Fenwick's plot and many other things There was talk of extraditing him when he was in Hol- land and so it was given out that he was dead, but Di is going into a convent just the same"
 That night as Frank sat in the old H. brary meditatng on all that the Justice
 had told him the door of side passage opened suddenly and before him stood
 Diana Vernon leaning on the arm of her father. Checking the incoherent words
 with which Frank strove to express his rapture and astonshment Sir Frederick told the young man that, being unable to
 escape from England after the downfall of the cause of Prince Charley, he had
 taken refuge with his daughter in one of
 the wings of the hall.
 A ship>was on the coast even then,
 ready to convey himself and his daugh- ter to France But Rashleigh Osbaldi-
 stone had surprised the secret of their re-
 treat and an old servant had brought
 word at that moment officers of the law
 were on the way to search the house and to apprehend them.
 He knew that he could rely on Frank
 anu he begged that he would delay the entrance of the officers long enough to
 permit of his escape with Diana through 1 secret postern. The clamor of the law i officers arose at the great door of the ; hall demanding admittance while he was ] speaking. Sir Frederick and his daugh- l ter fled toward the postern. But Rash 1 leigh, who accompanied the officers, knew ! of this exit and had 1t guarded. ] So, in spite of all Franks delays and resistance, Diana and her father were cap- l tured and Frank himself made prisoner The three were placed in coach, which l started up the avenue for the nearest jail ] But the end of the avenue was obstructed ] by the forms of sleeping cattle, and i among them were what appeared to be l Scottish drovers.
 These drovers speedily transformed
 themselves into men of the clan Mc- 1 Gregor. Led by Rob Roy himself they
 fell on the escort of the prisoners with 1 pistol and claymore. The rescue was soon l effected and Sir Frederick and Diana hur-
 ried off to the coast with an escort of
 clansmen.
 But in the fight around the carriage 1 several were killed, among them Rash l leigh Osbaldstone, to whose evil deeds a
 bullet from the pistol of a MeGregor put
 an end forever.
 l The government did not press it's case l against Frank for his part in that nights work. When Sir Frederick Vernon died
 abroad soon afterward commanding his
 daughter to marry Osbaldistone or enter convent she chose the Osbaldistone and became mistress of the hall.
 Rob Roy made his peace with the gov
 ernment and lived to be a very old man. ''He was over bad for blessing and over 1 good for banning" old Andrew Fairserv- | ice used to say when, in his dotage, he 1 puttered about the gardens of Osbaldi- ] stone Hall and told long tales of the cele- | brated chieftain.
 Next Sundays one page classic will bo 1 "Cranford," by Elizabeth Gaskell. | | Takinn Nh Eurther Chanees