"Ordinarily that may be true," he replied; "but remembering the charge against you, I shall require you to state why you left Trevanion."
"For no traitorous purpose, my lord, that I will swear. My reason for leaving home had nothing whatever to do with the coming of the Pretender."
"Out of your own mouth I will convict you," he replied. "Did you not tell Colman Killigrew, of Endellion, that you came to see him for the very purpose of seeking to help the enemy of the King?"
The words came upon me like a thunderbolt. I saw now that my position was more dangerous than I had conceived.
"Believe me, my lord," I cried, "I had another purpose in going to Endellion. I, hearing that Killigrew favored Charles Stuart, used that as a means whereby I might enter his house."
"You told him a lie."
"It was necessary in order to accomplish that on which I had set my mind."
"You admit telling a lie to him. How do I know you would not tell a lie to me?"
"But it is well known that the Killigrews are enemies of George II.," I cried.