' my ability or my
secrecy?" answered Geordie. "Nae man will coup wi' Peter Finlayson in
ony expedition whar death, danger, or exposure are to be avoided, or
whar ability to plan, an' quickness to execute, and cunnin' to conceal,
are things o' consideration or importance."

"Well, Peter, I believe thou art the man. I wish to carry off the girl,
Jessie Warriston, to-morrow night--canst thou assist me in that
enterprise?"

"It's just in the like o' thae bits o' ploys that the genius o' Peter
Finlayson lies," answered Geordie. "I ken the lassie maist intimately,
and can bring her to ony appointed spot at ony hour ye please to name."

"To-morrow night, then," said Brodie, "at eight o'clock, at the
resting-stone at the top of the Leith Lone; knowest thou the place?"

"I do," answered Geordie; "and shall attend; but ye ken, I suppose, the
difference that lies atween the ordinary jobs o' us cadies, and the
like o' thae michty emprises, whar life and limb, and honour and
reputation, are concerned. In the first case, the pay comes after
the wark--in the ither, the wark comes after the pay; an' it's richt
natural, whan ye think o't; because I hae often seen the city guard kick
the wark and the warkmen to the deevil in an instant, and the puir cadie
gets only broken banes for his pains."

"There, then," said Brodie, "there is half of thy fee; the other shall
be given when thou bringest the girl."

"Vera weel," said Geordie, counting the gold pieces; "and thank ye. I
wunna fail in my duty, I warrant ye."

Next night, at the time and place appointed, Geordie attended with his
charge. He found Brodie in waiting with a carriage, in which was seated
Louise. Jessie was told to enter, and complied. Brodie jumped in, and
Geordie held out his hand for the other half of the fee, which he
received. He now slipped a piece of twine round the handle of the
carriage, so as to prevent it from being opened; and, in a moment
vaulted up beside the coachman, whose hat, as if by mere accident, he
knocked off.

"Gie me up my bannet, ye whelp," said the coachman, angrily.

"Cadies are no cadies to coachmen," answered Geordie, dryly; "your
brains maun be far spent, man, when they canna keep a house ower their
head."

The coachman jumped down for his hat, and Geordie, applying the whip to
the horses, was off in an instant. The coachman cried, "Stop the coach!"
Brodie, thinking it was a chase, cried to drive like the devil. Geordie
obeyed to t