ut they wouldn't let me. "Mr Johnstone," they said,
"ye're no dam good. Ye've varicose veins and a bad heart," they said.
So I says, "Good mornin', gen'lmen. Don't blame me if the country's
ru'ned". That's what I said.'

I had by this time occupied the only remaining space left on the floor.
With the philosophy of their race the men had accepted my presence, and
were turning again to their own talk. The train had got up speed, and
as I judged it to be a special of some kind I looked for few stoppings.
Moreover it was not a corridor carriage, but one of the old-fashioned
kind, so I was safe for a time from the unwelcome attention of
conductors. I stretched my legs below the seat, rested my head against
the knees of a brawny gunner, and settled down to make the best of it.

My reflections were not pleasant. I had got down too far below the
surface, and had the naked feeling you get in a dream when you think
you have gone to the theatre in your nightgown. I had had three names
in two days, and as many characters. I felt as if I had no home or
position anywhere, and was only a stray dog with everybody's hand and
foot against me. It was an ugly sensation, and it was not redeemed by
any acute fear or any knowledge of being mixed up in some desperate
drama. I knew I could easily go on to Edinburgh, and when the police
made trouble, as they would, a wire to Scotland Yard would settle
matters in a couple of hours. There wasn't a suspicion of bodily danger
to restore my dignity. The worst that could happen would be that Ivery
would hear of my being befriended by the authorities, and the part I
had settled to play would be impossible. He would certainly hear. I had
the greatest respect for his intelligence service.

Yet that was bad enough. So far I had done well. I had put Gresson off
the scent. I had found out what Bullivant wanted to know, and I had
only to return unostentatiously to London to have won out on the game.
I told myself all that, but it didn't cheer my spirits. I was feeling
mean and hunted and very cold about the feet.

But I have a tough knuckle of obstinacy in me which makes me unwilling
to give up a thing till I am fairly choked off it. The chances were
badly against me. The Scottish police were actively interested in my
movements and would be ready to welcome me at my journey's end. I had
ruined my hat, and my clothes, as Amos had observed, were not
respectable. I had got rid of a four-days' beard the night