you are right."

"Here is success to it, with all my heart," answered Meiklewham,
heartily glad to see his patron's sanguine temper arrive at this
desirable conclusion, and yet willing to hedge in his own credit; "but
it is _you_ are right, and not _me_, for I advise nothing except on your
assurances, that you can make your ain of this English earl, and of this
Sir Bingo--and if you can but do that, I am sure it would be unwise and
unkind in ony ane of your friends to stand in your light."

"True, Mick, true," answered Mowbray.--"And yet dice and cards are but
bones and pasteboard, and the best horse ever started may slip a
shoulder before he get to the winning-post--and so I wish Clara's
venture had not been in such a bottom.--But, hang it, care killed a
cat--I can hedge as well as any one, if the odds turn up against me--so
let us have the cash, Mick."

"Aha! but there go two words to that bargain--the stock stands in my
name, and Tam Turnpenny the banker's, as trustees for Miss Clara--Now,
get you her letter to us, desiring us to sell out and to pay you the
proceeds, and Tam Turnpenny will let you have five hundred pounds
_instanter_, on the faith of the transaction; for I fancy you would
desire a' the stock to be sold out, and it will produce more than six
hundred, or seven hundred pounds either--and I reckon you will be
selling out the whole--it's needless making twa bites of a cherry."

"True," answered Mowbray; "since we must be rogues, or something like
it, let us make it worth our while at least; so give me a form of the
letter, and Clara shall copy it--that is, if she consents; for you know
she can keep her own opinion as well as any other woman in the world."

"And that," said Meiklewham, "is as the wind will keep its way, preach
to it as ye like. But if I might advise about Miss Clara--I wad say
naething mair than that I was stressed for the penny money; for I
mistake her muckle if she would like to see you ganging to pitch and
toss wi' this lord and tither baronet for her aunt's three per cents--I
ken she has some queer notions--she gies away the feck of the dividends
on that very stock in downright charity."

"And I am in hazard to rob the poor as well as my sister!" said Mowbray,
filling once more his own glass and his friend's. "Come, Mick, no
sky-lights--here is Clara's health--she is an angel--and I am--what I
will not call myself, and suffer no other man to call me.--But I shall
win this time--I