ce."

In the smoking-room, to which my host now led me, was a packet, fastened
with many seals and enclosed in a single sheet of strong paper thus
endorsed:

Papers relating to the lives and lamentable deaths of the late Lord
Durisdeer, and his elder brother James, commonly called Master of
Ballantrae, attainted in the troubles: entrusted into the hands of
John M'Brair in the Lawnmarket of Edinburgh, W.S.; this 20th day of
September Anno Domini 1789; by him to be kept secret until the
revolution of one hundred years complete, or until the 20th day of
September 1889: the same compiled and written by me,

EPHRAIM MACKELLAR,

_For near forty years Land Steward on the estates of his Lordship._

As Mr. Thomson is a married man, I will not say what hour had struck
when we laid down the last of the following pages; but I will give a few
words of what ensued.

"Here," said Mr. Thomson, "is a novel ready to your hand: all you have
to do is to work up the scenery, develop the characters, and improve the
style."

"My dear fellow," said I, "they are just the three things that I would
rather die than set my hand to. It shall be published as it stands."

"But it's so bald," objected Mr. Thomson.

"I believe there is nothing so noble as baldness," replied I, "and I am
sure there is nothing so interesting. I would have all literature bald,
and all authors (if you like) but one."

"Well, well," said Mr. Thomson, "we shall see."

* * * * *

[_"Johnstone Thomson, W.S.," is Mr. C. Baxter, W.S. (afterwards the
author's executor), with whom, as "Thomson Johnstone," Stevenson
frequently corresponded in the broadest of broad Scots.--The scene is
laid in Mr. Baxter's house, 7 Rothesay Place, Edinburgh._]

THE MASTER OF BALLANTRAE

CHAPTER I

SUMMARY OF EVENTS DURING THE MASTER'S WANDERINGS

The full truth of this odd matter is what the world has long been
looking for, and public curiosity is sure to welcome. It so befell that
I was intimately mingled with the last years and history of the house;
and there does not live one man so able as myself to make these matters
plain, or so desirous to narrate them faithfully. I knew the Master; on
many secret steps of his career I have an authentic memoir in my hand; I
sailed with him on his last voyage almost alone; I made one upon that
winter's journey of which so many tales have gone abroad; and I was
there at the m