and took up his pen.

"The first point is to smuggle Alan forth of this country," said I, "but
I need not be repeating that."

"I am little likely to forget it," said Stewart.

"The next thing is the bit money I am owing to Cluny," I went on. "It
would be ill for me to find a conveyance, but that should be no stick to
you. It was two pounds five shillings and three-halfpence farthing
sterling."

He noted it.

"Then," said I, "there's a Mr. Henderland, a licensed preacher and
missionary in Ardgour, that I would like well to get some snuff into the
hands of; and as I daresay you keep touch with your friends in Appin (so
near by), it's a job you could doubtless overtake with the other."

"How much snuff are we to say?" he asked.

"I was thinking of two pounds," said I.

"Two," said he.

"Then there's the lass Alison Hastie, in Limekilns," said I. "Her that
helped Alan and me across the Forth. I was thinking if I could get her a
good Sunday gown, such as she could wear with decency in her degree, it
would be an ease to my conscience; for the mere truth is, we owe her our
two lives."

"I am glad to see you are thrifty, Mr. Balfour," says he, making his
notes.

"I would think shame to be otherwise the first day of my fortune," said
I. "And now, if you will compute the outlay and your own proper charges,
I would be glad to know if I could get some spending-money back. It's
not that I grudge the whole of it to get Alan safe; it's not that I lack
more; but having drawn so much the one day, I think it would have a very
ill appearance if I was back again seeking the next. Only be sure you
have enough," I added, "for I am very undesirous to meet with you
again."

"Well, and I'm pleased to see you're cautious too," said the Writer.
"But I think ye take a risk to lay so considerable a sum at my
discretion."

He said this with a plain sneer.

"I'll have to run the hazard," I replied.--"O, and there's another
service I would ask, and that's to direct me to a lodging, for I have no
roof to my head. But it must be a lodging I may seem to have hit upon by
accident, for it would never do if the Lord Advocate were to get any
jealousy of our acquaintance."

"Ye may set your weary spirit at rest," said he. "I will never name your
name, sir; and it's my belief the Advocate is still so much to be
sympathised with that he doesna ken of your existence."

I saw I had got to the wrong side of the man.

"There's a braw day c