had been ever honoured; and after a few more prefatory apologies, concluded by stating that she had a favour to ask.

"Pardi, ma belle!" cried the King with great animation, "I am right glad to hear it. It likes me well to be asked favours by those who have favours to bestow; your's therefore is granted, even before it is named."

In as concise a manner as possible, Constantia now explained the origin of Jocelyn's connection with Colonel Rathborn; vindicated his conduct and his loyalty; and wound up her statement by requesting, that his Majesty would be graciously pleased to order his immediate discharge from prison.

"And so to restore Mistress Beverning an admired admirer, I presume," said Charles, whose dusky countenance had been gradually lowering. "More than once has this saucy spark already presumptuously attempted to cross my path."

"Not for myself am I a petitioner, I most solemnly assure your Majesty," said Constantia,

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"but for a dear friend who is betrothed to Mr. Compton, and whose anguish at his arrest, if I had the power of depicting it, would render your Majesty not less anxious than myself to remove it."

"Gramercy! madam, if there be a distressed Amanda in the case," said Charles, with a more cheerful countenance, "I am bound, as a true Knight of the Garter to afford her relief, by restoring her Damon to her arms; but as to my giving an order for his discharge—” He paused, for he had the fear of Lady Castlemaine before his eyes, and shook his head, as if the contemplated measure were impracticable; but after a moment's consideration, he continued:"There are better methods of obliging Mistress Beverning, without implicating the King. On Friday I shall return to Whitehall, whither I can order him to be brought up in the Towerwherry for examination by the Privy Council. If he have brisk and stirring friends, let them run on board the boat, which will be but lightly

manned, and whisk him away; and I will take good care that there be no further hue and cry for his recapture. How say you, my stately queen of Olympus, can this be done ?"

"At all events it can be attempted," said Constantia ;" and I shall ever hold myself indebted to your Majesty."

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Tush, madam!" said Charles-" the King hopes to be soon indebted to Mistress Beverning; but he must first set his seal to the present bargain." So saying, he took her hand, and having tenderly pressed it, drew off a brilliant diamond ring from his finger, which he was about to place upon her's, when she exclaimed“Your Majesty must excuse me; I have received one favour already in the gracious compliance with which my petition has been honoured; I dare not so soon accept a second, lest I should prove bankrupt in gratitude. This will be for our next meeting,"-and she repassed the ring upon the finger from which he had withdrawn it. "For our next meeting be it!"

cried the King," and the day be an early one, and the interview not less delightful than the present!" He still retained her hand, and was proceeding to indulge in a species of toying and dalliance not very acceptable to Constantia, when she started up, exclaiming-" Here come our worthy host and his friends; they are seeking your Majesty-shall we rejoin them?" And she immediately walked forward to the party, accompanied by the King, who refused to resign the arm which he had placed within his own, and whispering once more in her ear, "Remember Friday!" returned with her into the house.

It yet wanted five days to Friday, and these five days did Constantia, who immediately returned to London, dedicate to the completion of her enterprize, with an acuteness of contrivance, and prompt energy of execution, which when seconded by her ample command of money, could scarcely fail of success. The Friday morning at length arrived, and Jocelyn, who had received notice that he was to be conveyed

to Whitehall for examination, and who had already drawn the most sinister auguries from his dismissal from his office of Private Secretary, began to think that his ruin was indeed resolved, since even that public disgrace was deemed insufficient. Under any other circumstances indignation might have given him fortitude, or the consciousness of innocence might have reconciled him to the quiet endurance of his wrongs; but the thought of what Julia must suffer-her unprotected state-his own destitution, now that he had been cashiered-and the uncertainty of his future fate-all conspired to affect him with an unusual prostration of spirits. Nor was this feeling lessened when manacles were placed upon his wrists, and he was guarded down the water-steps of the fortress, and ushered into the Tower-wherry.

As the prisoner was thus secured, and no idea was entertained of danger or an attempted rescue in traversing the Thames at mid-day, the boat, as the King had anticipated, was but