mbled Davie, "when it's no' smootherin'."

"Come then, Davie, that will do. Clear out," said Mr. Rae to the old
servant, who was cleaning up the hearth with great diligence and care.

But Davie was not to be hurried. He had his regular routine in
fire-mending, from which no power could move him. "Ay, Sir," he
muttered, brushing away with his feather besom. "I'll clear oot when I
clear up. When a thing's no' dune richt it's no dune ava."

"True, Davie, true enough; that's a noble sentiment. But will that no'
do now?" Mr. Rae knew himself to be helpless in Davie's hands, and he
knew also that nothing short of violence would hasten Davie from his
"usual."

"Ay, that'll dae, because it's richt dune. But that's no' what I call
cannel," grumbled Davie, glowering fiercely at the burning coal, as if
meditating a fresh attack.

"Well, well," said Mr. Rae, "tell the Farquhars about it."

"Ay, Sir, I will that," said Davie, as he reluctantly took himself off
with his scuttle and besom.

The Captain was bursting with fretful impatience. "Impudent old rascal!"
he exclaimed. "Why don't you dismiss him?"

"Dismiss him!" echoed Mr. Rae in consternation. "Dismiss him!" he
repeated, as if pondering an entirely new idea. "I doubt if Davie would
consider that. But now let us to work." He set two arm-chairs before the
fire, and placed a box of cigars by the Captain's elbow. "I have seen
Sheratt," he began. "I'm quite clear it is not in his hands."

"In whose then?" burst forth the Captain.

Mr. Rae lit his cigar carefully. "The whole matter, I believe, lies now
with the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Sir Archibald Brodie."

"Brodie!" cried the Captain. "I know him. Pompous little fool!"

"Fool, Captain Cameron! Make no mistake. Sir Archibald may have--ah--the
self-importance of a self-made man somewhat under the average height,
but he is, without doubt, the best financier that stands at this moment
in Scotland, and during the last fifteen years he has brought up the
Bank of Scotland to its present position. Fool! He's anything but that.
But he has his weak spots--I wish I knew what they were!--and these we
must seek to find out. Do you know him well?"

"Oh, yes, quite well," said the Captain; "that is, I've met him at
various functions, where he always makes speeches. Very common, I
call him. I know his father; a mere cottar. I mean," added the Captain
hurriedly, for he remembered that Mr. Rae was of the same humble
orig