led up; but yet
before I told my story, I would be glad to know that I was talking to a
friend."

"This is to argue in a circle," said the lawyer. "I cannot be convinced
till I have heard you. I cannot be your friend till I am properly
informed. If you were more trustful, it would better befit your time of
life. And you know, Mr. Balfour, we have a proverb in the country that
evil-doers are aye evil-dreaders."

"You are not to forget, sir," said I, "that I have already suffered by
my trustfulness; and was shipped off to be a slave by the very man that
(if I rightly understand) is your employer."

All this while I had been gaining ground with Mr. Rankeillor, and, in
proportion as I gained ground, gaining confidence. But at this sally,
which I made with something of a smile myself, he fairly laughed aloud.

"No, no," said he, "it is not so bad as that. _Fui, non sum_. I _was_
indeed your uncle's man of business; but while you (_imberbis juvenis
custode remoto_) were gallivanting in the west, a good deal of water has
run under the bridges; and, if your ears did not sing, it was not for
lack of being talked about. On the very day of your sea disaster, Mr.
Campbell stalked into my office, demanding you from all the winds. I had
never heard of your existence; but I had known your father; and from
matters in my competence (to be touched upon hereafter) I was disposed
to fear the worst. Mr. Ebenezer admitted having seen you; declared
(what seemed improbable) that he had given you considerable sums; and
that you had started for the continent of Europe, intending to fulfil
your education, which was probable and praiseworthy. Interrogated how
you had come to send no word to Mr. Campbell, he deponed that you had
expressed a great desire to break with your past life. Further
interrogated where you now were, protested ignorance, but believed you
were in Leyden. That is a close sum of his replies. I am not exactly
sure that any one believed him," continued Mr. Rankeillor, with a smile;
"and in particular he so much disrelished some expressions of mine that
(in a word) he showed me to the door. We were then at a full stand; for,
whatever shrewd suspicions we might entertain, we had no shadow of
probation. In the very article, comes Captain Hoseason with the story of
your drowning; whereupon all fell through; with no consequences but
concern to Mr. Campbell, injury to my pocket, and another blot upon your
uncle's character, which co