uch as it might
be, of his evidence before the magistrate, or whether to make him,
if possible, bearer of a letter which might procure me more effectual
assistance. I resolved, therefore, to be guided by circumstances, and
to watch carefully that nothing might escape me. I drew back as far as
I could, and even reconnoitred the door and passage, to consider whether
absolute escape might not be practicable. But there paraded Cristal
Nixon, whose little black eyes, sharp as those of a basilisk, seemed,
the instant when they encountered mine, to penetrate my purpose.

I sat down, as much out of sight of all parties as I could, and listened
to the dialogue which followed--a dialogue how much more interesting to
me than any I could have conceived, in which Peter Peebles was to be one
of the dramatis personae!

'Is it here where ye sell the warrants--the fugies, ye ken?' said Peter.

'Hey--eh--what!' said Justice Foxley; 'what the devil does the fellow
mean?--What would you have a warrant for?'

'It is to apprehend a young lawyer that is IN MEDITATIONE FUGAE; for he
has ta'en my memorial and pleaded my cause, and a good fee I gave
him, and as muckle brandy as he could drink that day at his father's
house--he loes the brandy ower weel for sae youthful a creature.'

'And what has this drunken young dog of a lawyer done to you, that
you are come to me--eh--ha? Has he robbed you? Not unlikely if he be a
lawyer--eh--Nick--ha?' said Justice Foxley.

'He has robbed me of himself, sir,' answered Peter; 'of his help,
comfort, aid, maintenance, and assistance, whilk, as a counsel to a
client, he is bound to yield me RATIONE OFFICII--that is it, ye see. He
has pouched my fee, and drucken a mutchkin of brandy, and now he's ower
the march, and left my cause, half won half lost--as dead a heat as e'er
was run ower the back-sands. Now, I was advised by some cunning laddies
that are used to crack a bit law wi' me in the House, that the best
thing I could do was to take heart o' grace and set out after him; so I
have taken post on my ain shanks, forby a cast in a cart, or the like. I
got wind of him in Dumfries, and now I have run him ower to the English
side, and I want a fugie warrant against him.'

How did my heart throb at this information, dearest Alan! Thou art near
me then, and I well know with what kind purpose; thou hast abandoned all
to fly to my assistance; and no wonder that, knowing thy friendship and
faith, thy sound sagac