Soon after we reached the palace, my cousin
and I walked out to the park, and after a long meditative silence, she
asked:--
"Was I guilty of a great sin in making a false oath on the book?"
"No," I answered. "Because you swore to the truth, not only in the
spirit, but in the letter. Hamilton was not one of the highwaymen who
attacked and killed Roger Wentworth."
"Ah, but I saw him and recognized him," she answered.
"Why, then, did you make oath that you did not?" I asked.
"I have been asking myself the same question over and over," she
returned. Then after a long pause. "I deliberately swore falsely. I did
recognize him by the light of the lanthorn. I wish I had never seen him,
but having known him as I did at one time, I almost wish that I could
have remained in ignorance of his guilt. Would that the lanthorn had been
dark so that I could not have seen him."
"I do not deny that you saw him, Frances, but I do deny that you saw him
attack Roger Wentworth. Hamilton was two hundred yards down the road when
Roger was killed. If not, he has lied to me, and, with all his faults,
I have always found him truthful."
After a moment she answered musingly: "I believe you are right. Noah had
whipped up the horses, and we must have covered at least a hundred yards
or more before I saw Master Hamilton's face. I fear I have committed
a great sin against him, and this day came near committing a greater.
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