, but I think
this places both you and me--who am but her fellow-traveller by
accident--under a strong obligation to help our countrywoman."

"Will you ding me daft?" he cries. "I tell ye I ken naething and care
less either for him or his breed. I tell ye the man owes me money."

"That may very well be, sir," said I, who was now rather more angry than
himself. "At least I owe you nothing; the young lady is under my
protection; and I am neither at all used with these manners, nor in the
least content with them."

As I said this, and without particularly thinking what I did, I drew a
step or two nearer to his table; thus striking, by mere good fortune, on
the only argument that could at all affect the man. The blood left his
lusty countenance.

"For the Lord's sake dinna be hasty, sir!" he cried. "I am truly wishfu'
no to be offensive. But ye ken, sir, I'm like a wheen guid-natured,
honest, canty auld fallows--my bark is waur nor my bite. To hear me, ye
micht whiles fancy I was a wee thing dour; but na, na! its a kind auld
fellow at heart, Sandie Sprott! And ye could never imagine the fyke and
fash this man has been to me."

"Very good, sir," said I. "Then I will make that much freedom with your
kindness, as trouble you for your last news of Mr. Drummond."

"You're welcome, sir!" said he. "As for the young leddy (my respec's to
her!) he'll just have clean forgotten her. I ken the man, ye see; I have
lost siller by him ere now. He thinks of naebody but just himsel'; clan,
king, or dauchter, if he can get his wameful, he would give them a' the
go-by! ay, or his correspondent either. For there is a sense in whilk I
may be nearly almost said to be his correspondent. The fact is, we are
employed thegether in a business affair, and I think it's like to turn
out a dear affair for Sandie Sprott. The man's as guid's my pairtner,
and I give ye my mere word I ken naething by where he is. He micht be
coming here to Helvoet; he micht come here the morn, he michtnae come
for a twalmonth; I would wonder at naething--or just at the ae thing,
and that's if he was to pay me my siller. Ye see what way I stand with
it; and it's clear I'm no very likely to meddle up with the young leddy,
as ye ca' her. She cannae stop here, that's ae thing certain sure. Dod,
sir, I'm a lone man! If I was to tak her in, its highly possible the
hellicat would try and gar me marry her when he turned up."

"Enough of this talk," said I. "I will take the yo