them, and she herself driven to the workhouse, where she got
in with difficulty, but was easily enough lifted out, at the end of the
month, as dead as her friends could desire. Merry tidings this to me,
who had been the d----d' (he paused a moment) 'ORIGO MALI--Gad, I think
my confession would sound better in Latin than in English!

'But the best jest was behind--I had just power to stammer out something
about Jess--by my faith he HAD an answer! I had taught Jess one trade,
and, like a prudent girl, she had found out another for herself;
unluckily, they were both contraband, and Jess Cantrips, daughter of the
Lady Kittlebasket, had the honour to be transported to the plantations,
for street-walking and pocket-picking, about six months before I touched
shore.'

He changed the bitter tone of affected pleasantry into an attempt to
laugh, then drew his swarthy hand across his swarthy eyes, and said in a
more natural accent, 'Poor Jess!'

There was a pause--until Fairford, pitying the poor man's state of mind,
and believing he saw something in him that, but for early error and
subsequent profligacy, might have been excellent and noble, helped on
the conversation by asking, in a tone of commiseration, how he had been
able to endure such a load of calamity.

'Why, very well,' answered the seaman; 'exceedingly well--like a tight
ship in a brisk gale. Let me recollect. I remember thanking Jack, very
composedly, for the interesting and agreeable communication; I then
pulled out my canvas pouch, with my hoard of moidores, and taking out
two pieces, I bid Jack keep the rest till I came back, as I was for a
cruise about Auld Reekie. The poor devil looked anxiously, but I shook
him by the hand, and ran downstairs, in such confusion of mind, that
notwithstanding what I had heard, I expected to meet Jess at every
turning.

It was market-day, and the usual number of rogues and fools were
assembled at the Cross. I observed everybody looked strange on me, and I
thought some laughed. I fancy I had been making queer faces enough, and
perhaps talking to myself, When I saw myself used in this manner, I held
out my clenched fists straight before me, stooped my head, and, like a
ram when he makes his race, darted off right down the street, scattering
groups of weatherbeaten lairds and periwigged burgesses, and bearing
down all before me. I heard the cry of "Seize the madman!" echoed, in
Celtic sounds, from the City Guard, with "Ceaze ta m