ng as Samson; 'fair complexion'--that's it exactly;
'auburn hair'--so it is. Auburn is a very undecided colour; there's a
great deal of red in it, and no one can deny that Swankie has a good
deal of red in _his_ hair."

There was indeed no denying this, for it was altogether red, of an
intense carroty hue.

"You see, friend," continued the officer, turning to Ruby, "that the
description suits Swankie very well."

"True, as far as you have gone," said Ruby, with a quiet smile; "but
Swankie is six feet two in his stockings, and his nose is turned up,
and his hair don't curl, and his eyes are light-green, and his
complexion is sallow, if I may not say yellow----"

"Fair, lad; fair," said the officer, laughing in spite of himself.
"Ah! Ruby Brand, you are jealous of him! Well, I see that I'm fated
not to capture you, so I'll bid you good day. Meanwhile your
companions will be so good as to step into my gig."

The two men rose to obey. Big Swankie stepped over the gunwale, with
the fling of a sulky, reckless man, who curses his fate and submits
to it. Davy Spink had a very crestfallen, subdued look. He was about
to follow, when a thought seemed to strike him. He turned hastily
round, and Ruby was surprised to see that his eyes were suffused with
tears, and that his features worked with the convulsive twitching of
one who struggles powerfully to restrain his feelings.

"Ruby Brand," said he, in a deep husky voice, which trembled at
first, but became strong as he went on; "Ruby Brand, I deserve nae
good at your hands, yet I'll ask a favour o' ye. Ye've seen the wife
and the bairn, the wee ane wi' the fair curly pow. Ye ken the auld
hoose. It'll be mony a lang day afore I see them again, if iver I
come back ava. There's naebody left to care for them. They'll be
starvin' soon, lad. Wull ye--wull ye look--doon?"

Poor Davy Spink stopped here, and covered his face with his big
sunburnt hands.

A sudden gush of sympathy filled Ruby's heart. He started forward,
and drawing from his pocket the letter with which he was charged,
thrust it into Spink's hand, and said hurriedly--

"Don't fail to deliver it the first thing you do on landing. And
hark'ee, Spink, go to Mrs. Brand's cottage, and tell them there _why_
I went away. Be sure you see them _all_, and explain _why_ it was.
Tell Minnie Gray that I will be _certain_ to return, if God spares
me."

Without waiting for a reply he sprang into the gig, and gave the
other boa