DAVID BALFOUR

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 94, 22 April 1893, Page 9

DAVID BALFOUR

I Sequel to' Kidnapped/

VT ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON.

[ALL EIGHTS RESERVED.]

PART I.

THE LORD ADVOCATE.

CHAPTER X. THE KED-HEADED MAN.

' T was about half-pasb three when I came forth on the Lang Dykes ; and being now abroad agaiQ upon the world, began con" jideriog to whab part of it I should grsti address myself—nob thab the conheld me long. Dean was where I wanted to go; it was just one of the few nlacea I should bave kept away from; and being a very young man, and beginning bo be very much in love, I turned my face in thab direction without pauae. As a salve to n,v conscience and common sense, howev e r I took a measure of precaution. Coming over the crown of a bib of rise in thß road, I clapped down suddenly among the barley and lay waiting. Aiber a while, a man went by that looked like a Highlandman, bub I bad never seen Mm till that hour. Presently after came Neil of the red head. The next to go past was a miller's cart), and after that nothing but manifest country people. Here was enough to have turned the most foolhardy from bis purpose, bub my inclination ran too strong the other way. largued it out thab if Neil was on thab road, it was the right road to find him in, leading direct to his chief's daughter; as for the other Highlandman, if I was to be startled off by every Hi^hlandraan I saw, I would scarce reach any where, And having quite satisfied myself with this disingenuous debate, I made the better speed of it, and came a little after four to Miss Drummond Ogilvy's. Both ladies were within the house ; and upon my perceiving them together by the open door, I plucked off my hat, and said, •Here was a lad come seeking saxpence,' which I thought might please the dowager. Catriona ran out to meeb me heartily, and, to my surprise, the old lady seemed scarce less forward than herself. I learned long afterwards thab she had despatched a horseman by daylight to Rankeillan at the Qaeensferry, whom she knew to be the doer for Shaws, and had then in her pocket a letter from thab good friend of mine, presenting, in the most favourable view, my character and prospects. But had I read it I could scarce have seen more clear in her designs. Maybe I was country/ted ab least 1 was not' so much so as she thought; and it was plain enough, even to my home-spun wits, that she was benb to hammer up a match between her cousin and a beardless boy that was something of a laird in Lothian.

'Saxpence had better take his broth with us, Catbrine,1 says she. ' Run and tell the lasses.1

And for the little while we were alone was at a good deal of pains to flatter me ; always cleverly, always with the appearance of a banter still calling me Saxpence, bub with such a turn that should rather uplift me in my own opinion. When Catriona returned the design became, if possible, more obvioua; and she Bhowed off the girl's advantages like a horse-couper with a horse. My face flamed that she should think me so obtuse. Now I would fancy the girl was being innocently made a show of, and fchera I could have beaten the old carliDe wife with a cudgel; and now thab perhaps these two had set their heads together to entrap me, and «t that I sat and gloomed betirafc them like the very image of ill-will. At last the matchmaker had a better device, which was to leavo the pair of us alone. When my suspicions are any way roused ib is sometimes a little the wrong side of easy to allay them. Bub though I knew what breed Bhe was of, and that was a breed ot thieves, I could never look in Catriona's face and disbelievo her.

'I must liob ask ?' says she, eagerly, the saroo moment we wore left alone.

'Ah, but to-day I can talk with a free conscience,'l replied. 'I am lightened of my pledge, and indeed (after Nvhab has come and gone since morning) I wouicl nob have renewed it were it asked,'

' Tell me,' she said. 'My cousin will not be so longI.'

So I told her the tale of the lieutenant from the fir3t step to the last of it, making icas mirthful as I could, and, indeed, there was matter of mirth in that absurdity. ' And I think you will be as little fitted fer the rudns men as for the pretty ladies, after all,' says sh9, when I had clone. ' But what was your father that he could nob learn you to draw the sword 1 It is most ungentle; I have not heard the match of that in anyone.'

'It in most misconvenienfc at least,'said I; ' and I think my father (honosb man !) must have been woolgathering to learn me Latin in place of it. Bub you see Ido the best I can, and ju?b stand up like Lot's wife and let them hammer at me.'

'Do you know what makes me smile?1 said ehe. 'Well, it is this. I am made this way, that I should have been a man child, in my own thoughts ib ie so I am always; and IS o on beiling myself about this thing that ie to befall and that. Then it comos to the place of the fighting, and ib cornea over me that I am only a girl at all events, and cannot hold a sword or give one good blow; and then I have to twist my story round about, so that the fighting is to stop, and yefc we have the best of ib, just like you and the lieutenant; and I am tbe boy that makes the fine speeches all through, like Mr David Balfour.'

' You aro a bloodthirsty maid,' said I. 1 Weil, I know ib is good to sew and spin, find to make samplers,' she said,' bub if you were to do nothing elee in the great world, I think you vrill say yourself it is a driech business; and it is not that I want to kill, I think. Did ever you kill any one ?' 'That I have as it chances. Two, no lees, and me still a lad that should beat the college,1 said I. ' Bub yet, in the look-back, 1 take no shame for it.' But how did you feel, then—after it?' she naked. •*i j * safe down and grab like a bairn,'

I know that, too,' *he cried. • I feel Where these tears should come from ; and at any rate, I would nob wish to kill only to be Catherine Douglas thafe pub her arm tnrou<rh the st,ip! os o f tho bolb, where ib was broken. That is my chief hero. Would you noi love to die so-for your king V ahe asked. J 'Troth,' said I, « my affection for my *I n R, God bless the puggy face of J»in. is UG( j er more con t ro i ; an d I Moushfc I saw death near bo me this day already, that lam rafc h er taken up with the notion of living.' 'Right,'she said, 'the right mind of a man ! Only you must learn arms ; I would nut li!:fi t 0 have a friend that cannob strike. *«fc it will not havo bean with the sword that, you killed these two? 'Indeed, noo,' said I, ' bub with a pair of pistols. A nc j a fortunate thing ib was the men were so near hand to me, for I am about as clever with the pistols as I am with the sword.' So then she drew from me the Btory of

£S V" th 6 bdg ' Which T had n ."I fi™ a.c.c°unt of my my affairs. you friJf 1? B? e>- 'you are brave- And .wif d> * admire and lov° him ' I •r. uUd J. fchink any ono ™uid !' said butheuE aS hlB fr l6s lika otiher folks; bTss hei *£?V£%?^ kiDd ' *°d wh«n Tt ' i , lU be a strange day him yJ T\ -AlaD- An fche th°"W of il? I,™ my choice to jpeak with him that night almost overcome

havt n«r »6i5 WIU my head be cone thafc I snot a f ? my newa!> abe "cried, and &? a- l6 uter fromfaer father, hearing ™«nf° $ l$ ht Vlßib him to-morrosv in the and \ thZ h^hor he waß now transferred, and thab his affairs were mending. • You do nob hke to hear it," said she. 'Will you judge my fabher and not know him ?' i am a thousand milea from judging'l £P *?'. 'And J Eive y°u my word *d« rejoice to know your heart is lightened. If my face fell at all, a8 I suppose it must, you will allow this rather an ill day for compositions, and the people in power extremely ill persons to be compounding with. i. nave Symon Fraser extremely heavy on my stomach still.' *

Ah !' she cried, • you will not be comparing these two ; and you should bear in mind that Prestongrange and Jame More, my father, are of the one family.' j1 never heard tell of that,' said I. lb is rather singular how little you are acquainted with,' said she. 'One part may call themselves Grant and one Macsrregor, bub they are still of the same clan. Ibey are all the sons of Alpin, from whom, 1 think, our country has its name.' ' What country is that ?' I asked. My country and yours,' said she. ■at is my day *or discoverie3,l think,' said I, • tor I always thought the name of it was Scotland.'

' Scoblaud is bhe name of whab you call Ireland,' she replied. ' Bub the old ancient true name of thia place thab we have our footsolea on and that our bones are made of will be Alban. It was Alban they called ib when our forefathers will be fighting for ib againsb Rome and Alexander; and ib is called so still in your own tongue that you forget.'

1 Troth, 5 said I, • and thab I never learned. For I lacked heart to bake her up about bhe Macedonian.'

1 Bub your mother and father talked it. one generation wibh another,' said she- ' And it was sung about bho cradles before you or me were ever dreamed of; and your name remembers ib still. Ah, if you could talk thab language you would find me another girl. The heard speaks in that tongue.'

I bad a meal wibh the two ladies, all very good, served in fine old plate, and the wine excellent, for it seems that Mrs Ogilvy was rich. Our talk, too, waa pleasant enough ; but as soon as I saw the sun decline sharply and the shadows to run out long, I rose bo take my leave. For my mind was now made up to say farewell to Alan; and it was needful I should see the trysting wood, and reconnoitre ib by daylight. Catriona came with me as far as the garden gate. 'Ib is long till I see you now?' she asked.

' Ib is beyond my judging,' I replied, ' It will be long, ib may be never.'

'It may be so, 1 said she. ' And you are sorry ?'

I bowed my head looking upon her. 'So am I, at all eventß?' said she. ' I have seen you but a small time, but I pub you very high. You are true, you are brave ; in time I think you will be more of a man yeb. I will be proud bo bear of thab. If you should speed worse, if ib will come to fall es we are afraid —0, well! think you have the one friend. Long after you are dead and me an old wife, I will be telling bhe bairns aboubDavid Balfour, and my tears running. I will be belling how we parted, and what I said to you and did to you. " God go with you and guide you, -prays your little friend" so I said—l wiil be telling them—and here is what I did.'

She took up my hand and kissed ib. Thi3 ao surprised my spirits that I cried out like oaa hurt. Tho colour came strong in her face, and she looked ab me and nodded. 'Oh yea. Mr David,' said she, ' fehat is what I think of you. The hearb goes with tbe lips.' I could read in her face high spirits, and a chivalry like a brave child's; nob anything besides. She kissed my hand as she had kissed Prince Charlie's, with a higher passion than tbe common kind of clay has any sense of. Nobbing before had taueht me bow deep I waß her lover, nor how far I had yet to climb to make her think of me in such a character. Yet I could tell myself I had advanced some way, and that her hearb had beat and her blood flowed ab thoughts of me. After thab honour she had done mo 1 could oflbr no more trivial civility. It was even bard for me to speak ; a certain lifting in her voice had knocked directly ab the door of my own tears. «I praiss God for your kindness, dear, said I. 'Farewell, my little friend,' giving her that name which she had given bo hereelf; with which I bowed and left her. Mv way was down the glen of the Leith River towards Stoekbridge and Silvermills ' A path led in the foob of ib, tbe water bickered and sang in the midst; the sunbeams overhead struck out of the west among long shadows; and (as the valley turned) made like a new scene and anew world of it at every corner. With Oatnona behind and Alan before me, I wa> like one lifted un The place besides, and the hour and the talking of the water, infinitely n?A«ed me ; and I lingered m my steps and looked before and behind me as I went This wae tho cause, under providence, thab 1 "pied a little in my rear a red head among some bushes. Aneer sprang in my hearb, and I turned BtrtSfht about and walked at a stiff pace bo 2 I came from. The path lay close by 3,e bushes where I had remarked the head The cover came to the wayside, and as I nM-edl-wa" all strung up to meet and to resist an onfall. No such thing befell, I went by unmeddled with ; and, ab thab rear Seaid upon me. It was' still day indeed hnfc the place exceeding solitary. If mv haunters bad let slip that fair occasion, I rS nob bub judge they aimed ab some- £ more than David Balfour. The lives of ATan and James weighed upon my spirit •fWhe weight of two grown bullocks. WCatTionawl ß yet in ths garden walking »id L '?<•« «c me back ne« awitb a changed face,' said she. «T rarry two men's lives besides my rt _ » - a id I. 'It would be a sin and a shame nob to walk carefully. I was doubti tiher I did right to come here. I w Uiu7d Xib"lifi" ™"y that means we toU^« thing that would ha liking ib less, and will like little enough + n heir you talking at this vsry same time, sne c 3" ' ™>ab have I done, at all 6Vf nh'von ! you are nob alone,' I replied. •Rnfra'ineel went off I have been dogged again and I can give you the name of him E follows me. It is Neill, son of Dunur man or your father s. °a"Tn be sure you are mistaken there,' she • 1 with a white face. 'Neil is in tt Vjnhurzh O n errands from my father. . T Tis what 1 fear,' said I, ' the last of it. Rnfc for his being in Edinburgh I think I show you another of that. For sure V o" have some signal, a signal of need, Hur-h as would bring him to you help, if ho was anywhere within the reach of ears and 'Twhy, how will you know that? says 8 ?'By means of a magical talisman God gave to me when I was born, and the name they call ib by is common-sense,' said I; i o bHge me so far as make your signal, and 'I will sbow you the red head of Neil'

No doubt bub I spoke bitter and sharp, my heart was bitter. I blamed myself and the girl and hated both of ua; her for bhe vile crew thab she was come of, myself for my wanton folly to have sDuok my head in Bach a byke of wasps. Catriona set her ringers to her lips and whistled once, with a exceeding clear, strong, mounting note, as full as a ploughman's. Awhile we stood silent; and I was about to ask her to repeat the same, when I heard the sound of Borne one bursting through the bushes below on the braeside. I pointed in that direction with a smile, and presently Neil leaped into bhe garden. His eyes burned, and he had a black knife (aa they call it on the Highland side) naked in his hand ; bub, seeing me beside his mistress, stood like a man struck.

'He has come to your call, 1 said I; 'judge how near he was to Edinburgh, or whab was the nature of your father's errands. Ask himself. If lam to lose my life, or the lives of those that hang by me, through the means of your clan, let me go where I have bo go with my eyes open.' She addressed him tremulously in the Gaelic. Remembering Alan's anxious civility in thab particular, I could have laughed oub loud for bitterness ; here, sure, in the midab of these suspicions, was the hour she should have stuck by English. Twice or thrice they spoke together, and I could make out that Neil (for all his ob--1 sequiousnesa) was an angry man. Then she turned to .me. 'He swears it is nob,' she said. •Catriona,' said I, 'do you believe the man yourself ?' She made a gesture like wringing the hands. ' How will I can know ? she cried. 'Bub I must rind some means to know, 1 said I. ' I cannot continue to go dovering round in the black night with two men's lives at my girdle. Cabriona, try to pub yourself in my place aa I vow to God I try hard to pub myself in yours. This is no kind or talk that should ever have fallen between me and you; no kind of talk; my heart is sick with it. See, keep him here till two of fcho morning, and I care nob. Try him with that.'

They spoke together once more in the Gaelic.

•He says he has James More, my father's errand,' said she. She was whiter than ever, and her voice faltered as she said it. 'lb is pretty plain now,' said I, 'and may God forgive the wicked !'

She said never anything to that, but continned gazing at me with the same white face.

'This is a fine business,' said I again. 'Am I to fall, then, and these two along with me?'

' Oh, what am I to do ?' she cried. 1 Could I go against my father's orders, and him in prison, in the danger of his life?'

' But perhaps you go too fast,' said I. ' Thia may be a lie, too. He may have no righb orders; all may be contrived by Symon and your father knowing nothiner.'

She burst out weeping Letween the pair of us and my heart smote me hard, for I thought this girl was in a dreadful situafaion.

' Here,' said I, ' keep him bub bhe one hour and I'll chance ib and say God bless you.' She put out her hand to me. ' I will be needing one good word,' she eobbod. ' The full hour, then ?' said I, keeping her hand in mine. ' Three lives of ib, my lass.'

' The full hour,' she said, and cried aloud on her Redeemer to forgive her. I thoughts it no fit place for me and fled.

CHAPTER XI.

THE WOOD BY SILVERMILLS.

I lost no time, bub down through the valley and by Stock brig and Silvermilla as hard as I could stave, Ib was Allan's tryst lie every night between twelve and two 1 in a bit ecrog of wood by east of Silvermills and by south the south mill lade.' This I found easy enough, where it grow on a sbeep brae, with the mill lade flowing swift and deep along the foot of it; and here I began to walk slower and to reflect more reasonably on my employment. I saw I had made but a fool's bargain with Cat riona. It was nob to be supposed that Neil was sonb alone upon his errand, bub perhaps he was the only man belonging to James More ; in which case I should have dona all I could to hang Catriona's father, and nothing the least material to help myself. To tell the truth, I fancied neither one ot these ideas. Suppose, by holding back Neil, the girl should have helped co hang her father, I thought she would never forgive herself this sido of time. And suppose thero were others pursuing me that moment, what kind of a gift was I come bringing to Alan ? And how would I like that ? I was up with the west end ot that wood when these two considerations struck me like a cudgel. My feeb stopped ot themselves and my heart along with them. ' What wild game is this that I have been playing V thoughb I; and turned instantly upon my heels to go elsewhere. Thia brought my face to Silvermills; the path came past the village with a crook, but all plainly visible ; and, Highland or Lowland, there was nobody stirring. Here was my advantage ; here was just such a conjecture as Stewart had counselled me to profit by ; and I ran by the side of the mill-lade, fetched about beyond the east corner of the wood, threaded through the tnidßtofit, and returned to the west salvage, whence I could again command the path, and yet be myself unseen. Again it was all empty, and my heart began to rise. For more than an hour I sat close in the border of the trees, and no hare or eagle could have kept a more particular watch. When that hoar began the sun was already set, bub the sky still all golden and the daylight clear ; before the hour was done it had fallen to the half mirk, the images and distances of things were mingled, and observation began to be difficult. All that time not a foot of man had come east from SilvermiU3, and the few thab had gone west wore honest country folk, and their good wives upon the road to their beds. _ If I were tracked by the most cunning spies in Europe, I judged ib was beyond the course of nature they could have any jealousy of where I was ; and going a little further home iuto the wood I lay down to wait for Alan. The strain of ray attention had been great, for I had watched nob the path only, but every bush and field within my vision. Thab was now at an end. The moon, which was in her first quarter, glinted a little in the wood. All round thero was a stillness of the country, and as 1 lay there on my back the nexb three or four hours, I had a tine occasion to review my conduct. Two things became plain to me—first, thab I had had no right to go that day to Daan, and having gone there, had now no right to be lying where I was. This (where Alan was to come) was just the one wood in all broad Scotland bhab was, by every proper feeling, closed against me; I admitted th.ab, and yeb stayed on, wondering ab mynelf. I bhought of the measure with which I bad meted to Gntriona that same night; how I had prated of the two lives 1 carried, and had thus forced her to enjeopardy her father's; and how I was here exposing them again, ib seemed in wantonness. A good conscience iseightparts of courage. No sooner had I lost conceib of my behaviour, than I seemed fco stand disarmed amidst a throng of terror ;of a sudden I sat up. How if I went now to Prestonerrange. cauebt him —as I still easily might—before be slept, and made a full submission ? Who could blame me ? Nob Stewarb the writer; I bad bub bo say that I was followed, despised of getting clear, and so gave in. Nob Cabriona here, too, I had my answer ready ; thab I could nob bear she should oxposo her

fabher. So, in a moment, I could lay all bhese broubles by, which were after all and truly none of mine ; awirn clear of the Appin murder; get forth out of handstroke of all the Stewarts and Campbella, all the whigs and tories in the land ; and live henceforth bo my own mind, and be able to enjoy and to improve my fortunes, and to devote some hours of my youth to courting Catriona, which would be surely a more suitable arrangement than to hide and run and be followed like a hunted thief, and begin over again the dreadful miseries of my escape with Alan.

Ab first I bhought no shame of this capitulation ; I was only amazed I had not thought upon the thing and done ib earlier ; and began to inquire into the causes of the change. These I traced to my lowness of spirits, that back to my late recklessness, and thab again to the common, old, public, disconsidered sin of self-indulgence. Instantly the text came in my head, ' Kow can Satan cast oub Satan ?' What (I thought) I had, by self-indulgence, and the following of pleasant paths, and the lure of a young maid, cast myself wholly oub of conceit with my own character, and jeopardised the lives of Jamea and Alan ? And I was to seek the way out by the same road aa I had entered in ? No : the hurt that had been caused by self-indulgency must be cured by selfdenial ; the flehs I have pampered must be crucified. I looked about me for that course which I least liked bo follow; this was to leave the wood without waiting to see Alan, and go forth again alone, in the dark and in the midst of my perplexed and dangerous fortunes.

I have been the more careful to narrate this passage ot my reflections, because I think it is of some utility, and may serve as an example to young men. .But it must nob be thought I was so great an extremist as to act upon my principle outright. There is reason (they say) in planting kale, and even in ethic and religion, room for common sense. It was already close on Alan's hour, and bhe moon was down. If I left (as I could not very decently whisble to my spies bo follow me) they might miss me in the dark and tack themßelves to Alan by mistake. If I stayed I could at the least of ib set my friend upon his guard which mighb prove j his mere salvation. 1 had adventured others peoples' safety in a course of selfindulgence; to have endangered them again, and now on a mere design of penance, would have been scarce rational. Accordingly, I had scarce risen from my place ere I cab down again, bub already in a different frame of spirits, and equally marvelling at my pasb weakness aud rejoicing in my presenb composure. Presently after came a crackling in the thicket. Putting my mouth near down to the ground, I whistled a note or two of Alan's air; an answer came, in a like guarded tone, and soon we bad thralled together in the dark. 'Is this you at last, Davie?' he whispered ? ' Just myself,' said I. •God man, bub I've been wearying to see ye !' says he. ' I've had bhe longesb kind of a time. A' day, I've had my dwelling into the inside of a stack of hay, where I could nae see the nebs of my ten fingers ; and then two hours of it waiting here for you, and you never coming ? Dod, and ye're none too soon the wav ib is, with me bo sail the morn? The morn? whab am I saying ?—the day I mean.' 'Ay, Alan, man, the day, sure enough,' said I. 'It's pasb twelve now, surely, and ye sail the day. This'll be a long road you have before you.' 1 We'll have a long crack of it first),' said he. 1 Well, indeed, and I have a good deal ib will be tolling you to hear,' said I. And I told him what behooved, making rather a jumble of it, bub clear when done. He heard me oub with very few questions, laughing here and there like a man delighted; and tho sound of his laughter (above all there in the dark, where neither one of us could see the other) was extraordinarily friendly to my heart. ' Ay, Davio, ye're a queer character,' gays ho, when I had done, ' a queer bitch after all, and I have no mind of meeting with the like of ye. As for your story, Prestongrange is a Whig—like yourself, so I'll say the less of him, and Dod ! I believe he was the best friend ye had, if ye could only trust him. Bub Simon Fraser and James More are my am kind of cattle, and I'll give them the name thab they desorvo. The muckle black de'il was father to the Fraaers, a'body kens that ; and as for the Gregara, I never could abye the ■ reck of them since I could stotber o-.i bwo feeb. I bloodied bhe nose of one, I mind, when I was still go wambly on my legs that I cowped upon the top of him. A proud man was my father thab day, God resb him ! and I think he had the cause. I never can deny but what Robin was something of a piper,' ho added ; ' bub as for James More, the de'il guide him for me !' • One thing we have to consider,' said I. 'Was Charles Stewart right or wrong? Is ib only me they're after, or the pair of

us ?' 'And what's your am opinion, you bhafcs a man of so much experience,' said he.

' It passes me,' said I. « And me, too,' says Alan. 'Do ye think this lass would keep her word to ye V he asked.

'I do that,' said I. ' Well, there's nae telling,' said he. 1 And any way, that's over and done ; he'll be joined to the resb of them lang eyne.' ' How many would ye think there would be of them ?' I asked.

'That depends,' said Alan. 'If ib was only you, bhoy would likely send two-three lively, brisk young birkies, and if they thought thab I was to appear in thab employfl daresay ten or twelve,' said he. It was no use, I gave a little crack of laughter. 'And I think your own two eyea will have seen me drive thab number or the double of ib nearer hand !' cries he. ' Ib matters the less,' said I, ' because I am well rid of them for this time.

' Nae doubt that's your opinion,' said he ; 'but I would nae be theleastsurprisediftbey were hunkering this wood. Ye see, David man, they'll beHieland folk. There'll be some Frasers (I'm their king:) and some of the Gregara, and I would never deny but what the both of them, and the Gregara in especial, were clever experienced persons. A man kens little till he'e driven a spreagh of neat cattle (say) ten miles through a throng lowland country and the black soldiers may be at his tail. It's there thab I learned a great part of my penetration. And ye need nae tell me it's better than war; which ia the next best, however, though generally rather a bauchle of a business. Now the Gregara have had grand practice.' INo doubt that's a branch of education that was left out with me,' said I.

' And I can see the marks of it upon ye constantly,' said Alan. ' But that's the strango thing aboub you folk of the college learning ; ye'ro ignorant, and ye canna see it. Wae's me for my Greek and Hebrew ; but, man, I ken that) I dinna ken thorn— there's the differ of it. Now, hero's you. Ye lie on your wame a bittie in the bield of this wood, and ye tell me that ye're cuist off these Frasers and Macgregors. Why ? Became I could nae see them, says you. Ye blockhead, that's their livelihood.'

1 Take tho worst of it,' said I, • and whab are we to do ?'

' 1 am thinking of thab same,' said he. 'We might twine. It would nae be greatly to my taste; and forbye that, I see roasoue against it. First, ib'a now unco dark, and it's just humanly possible we might give them the clean slip. If we keep together, we make bub the a'o line of it; if wo gang separate* we make t'vrae of them; the more liklihood

to Btava in upon some of these gentry of yours. And then, second, if they keep the track of us, ib may come to to a fechb for ib, yet, Davie ; and then, I'll confess I would be blythe to have you at my oxter, and I think you would be none bhe worse of having me ab yours. So, by my way of ib, we should creep out of this wood no further gone than jusb the inside of the nexb minute, and hold away east for Fillace, where I'm to find my ship. I'll be like old days while it lasts, Davie ; and (come tha time) we'll have to think whab you should be doing. I'm wae to leave ye here, wanting me.' ' Hane with ye, then !' says I. 'Do yo gang back where you were stopping.' 1 Do'il a fear !' said Alan, -they were good folks to me, but I think they would be a good deal disappointed if they saw my bouny face again. For (the way times ago), I arnna just whab ye could call a wallcome guesb. Which makes me keener for your company, Mr David Batfour of the Shaws, and set ye up! Fur, leave aside twa cracks here in the wood with Charlie Stewarb, I hae scarce said black or white since the day we parted at Corstorphine.' With Which he rose from hi 3 place, and we began to move quietly eastward through the wood.

( To be Continued.)