hich had just been
related to me. Another man had seen what I had seen--had done what I
proposed to do! My mother noticed with grave displeasure the strong
impression which Mr. MacGlue had produced on my mind.

"I wish you had kept your story to yourself, doctor," she said, sharply.

"May I ask why, madam?"

"You have confirmed my son, sir, in his resolution to go to Saint
Anthony's Well."

Mr. MacGlue quietly consulted his pocket almanac before he replied.

"It's the full moon on the ninth of the month," he said. "That gives Mr.
Germaine some days of rest, ma'am, before he takes the journey. If he
travels in his own comfortable carriage--whatever I may think, morally
speaking, of his enterprise--I can't say, medically speaking, that I
believe it will do him much harm."

"You know where Saint Anthony's Well is?" I interposed.

"I must be mighty ignorant of Edinburgh not to know that," replied the
doctor.

"Is the Well in Edinburgh, then?"

"It's just outside Edinburgh--looks down on it, as you may say. You
follow the old street called the Canongate to the end. You turn to your
right past the famous Palace of Holyrood; you cross the Park and the
Drive, and take your way upward to the ruins of Anthony's Chapel, on the
shoulder of the hill--and there you are! There's a high rock behind
the chapel, and at the foot of it you will find the spring they call
Anthony's Well. It's thought a pretty view by moonlight; and they tell
me it's no longer beset at night by bad characters, as it used to be in
the old time."

My mother, in graver and graver displeasure, rose to retire to the
drawing-room.

"I confess you have disappointed me," she said to Mr. MacGlue. "I should
have thought you would have been the last man to encourage my son in an
act of imprudence."

"Craving your pardon, madam, your son requires no encouragement. I can
see for myself that his mind is made up. Where is the use of a person
like me trying to stop him? Dear madam, if he won't profit by your
advice, what hope can I have that he will take mine?"

Mr. MacGlue pointed this artful compliment by a bow of the deepest
respect, and threw open the door for my mother to pass out.

When we were left together over our wine, I asked the doctor how soon I
might safely start on my journey to Edinburgh.

"Take two days to do the journey, and you may start, if you're bent
on it, at the beginning of the week. But mind this," added the
prudent doctor, "thou