detained in custody until the conclusion of the
trial.

CHAPTER XXIV.

THE VINDICATION.

Mr. Guthrie now requested that the witness Ferguson might be recalled.

The order was given. And the Lone saddler's red-headed apprentice took
the stand.

Mr. Guthrie referred to the notes that had been passed to him by the Duke
of Hereward, and then said:

"Witness, you told the jury that on the night before the murder of Sir
Lemuel Levison, you were employed in your master's service up to a late
hour."

"Ay, your honor; but I waur fain to see the wedding decorations, for a'
that," said the boy.

"Precisely. But now tell the jury what was the service upon which you
were employed to so late an hour that night."

"It wad be a bit wedding offering to our laird, wha hae always favored
his ain folks wi' his custom. It waur a Russia leather traveling
dressing-bag for his lairdship, the whilk the master had ta'en unco guid
care suld be as brawa bag as ony to be boughten in Lunnen town itsel',
whilk mysel' was commissioned, and proud I waur, to tak', wi' my master's
duty, to his lairdship."

"Doubtless. Now tell the jury at what hour you took this wedding offering
to Lord Arondelle."

"Aweel, it wad be about half-past nine o'clock. I went wi' the
dressing-case to the Arondelle Arms, where his lairdship and his
lairdship's feyther, the auld duk' were biding. The hostler telt me that
his lairdship had gane for a walk o'er the brig to Castle Lone. Sae I
were fain to wait there for him."

"How long did you wait?"

"Na lang. I was na mair than five minutes before I saw his lairdship
coming o'er the brig toward the house. And sune his lairdship came into
the inn, and I made my bow, and offered his lairdship the wedding-gift,
wi' my maister's respectful guid wishes. His lairdship smiled pleasantly,
and tauld me to fetch it after him up to his chamber. I followed my laird
up-stairs to his ain room, where his lairdship's valet, Mr. Kerr, was
waiting on him. His lairdship wrote a braw note of acknowledgements
to my maister, and gie it me to take away. My laird also gie me a
half-sovereign, for mysel'. I dinna tak' the note just then to my
maister. I saw by the clock on the mantel that it only lacked a quarter
to ten o'clock, sae I e'en made my duty to his lairdship and run down
stairs, ran a' the way o'er to Castle Lone, for I war fain to see the
decorations. I got to Malcolm's Tower just in time to hear the auld clock
in