insidious in this
arrangement. That I was to reappear precisely in time to be too late
would cast the more discredit on my tale, if I were minded to tell one;
and this screwed me to fighting point.

"Now then, Andie, you that kens the world, listen to me, and think while
ye listen," said I. "I know there are great folks in the business, and I
make no doubt you have their names to go upon. I have seen some of them
myself since this affair began, and said my say into their faces too.
But what kind of a crime would this be that I had committed? or what
kind of a process is this that I am fallen under? To be apprehended by
some ragged John-Hielandmen on August 30th, carried to a rickle of old
stones that is now neither fort nor gaol (whatever it once was) but just
the gamekeeper's lodge of the Bass Rock, and set free again, September
23d, as secretly as I was first arrested--does that sound like law to
you? or does it sound like justice? or does it not sound honestly like a
piece of some low dirty intrigue, of which the very folk that meddle
with it are ashamed?"

"I canna gainsay ye, Shaws. It looks unco underhand," says Andie. "And
werenae the folk guid sound Whigs and true-blue Presbyterians I would
hae seen them ayont Jordan and Jeroozlem or I would have set hand to
it."

"The Master of Lovat'll be a braw Whig," says I, "and a grand
Presbyterian."

"I ken naething by him," said he. "I hae nae trokings wi' Lovats."

"No, it'll be Prestongrange that you'll be dealing with," said I.

"Ah, but I'll no tell ye that," said Andie.

"Little need when I ken," was my retort.

"There's just the ae thing ye can be fairly sure of, Shaws," says Andie.
"And that is that (try as ye please) I'm no dealing wi' yoursel'; nor
yet I amnae goin' to," he added.

"Well, Andie, I see I'll have to be speak out plain with you," I
replied. And I told him so much as I thought needful of the facts.

He heard me out with serious interest, and when I had done, seemed to
consider a little with himself.

"Shaws," said he at last, "I deal with the naked hand. It's a queer
tale, and no vary creditable, the way you tell it; and I'm far frae
minting that is other than the way that ye believe it. As for yoursel',
ye seems to me rather a dacent-like young man. But me, that's aulder and
mair judeecious, see perhaps a wee bit further forrit in the job than
what ye can dae. And here is the maitter clear and plain to ye. There'll
be nae skaith to yo