sted
longer of the Bass," says he.

"Speaking of which, my lord, I return your letter." And I gave him the
enclosure in the counterfeit hand.

"There was the cover also with the seal," said he.

"I have it not," said I. "It bore not even an address, and could not
compromise a cat. The second enclosure I have, and with your permission,
I desire to keep it."

I thought he winced a little, but he said nothing to the point.
"To-morrow," he resumed, "our business here is to be finished, and I
proceed by Glasgow. I would be very glad to have you of my party, Mr.
David."

"My lord ..." I began.

"I do not deny it will be of service to me," he interrupted. "I desire
even that, when we shall come to Edinburgh, you should alight at my
house. You have very warm friends in the Miss Grants, who will be
overjoyed to have you to themselves. If you think I have been of use to
you, you can thus easily repay me, and so far from losing, may reap
some advantage by the way. It is not every strange young man who is
presented in society by the King's Advocate."

Often enough already (in our brief relations) this gentleman had caused
my head to spin; no doubt but what for a moment he did so again now.
Here was the old fiction still maintained of my particular favour with
his daughters, one of whom had been so good as laugh at me, while the
other two had scarce deigned to remark the fact of my existence. And now
I was to ride with my lord to Glasgow; I was to dwell with him in
Edinburgh; I was to be brought into society under his protection! That
he should have so much good-nature as to forgive me was surprising
enough; that he could wish to take me up and serve me seemed impossible;
and I began to seek for some ulterior meaning. One was plain. If I
became his guest, repentance was excluded; I could never think better of
my present design and bring any action. And besides, would not my
presence in his house draw out the whole pungency of the memorial? For
that complaint could not be very seriously regarded, if the person
chiefly injured was the guest of the official most incriminated. As I
thought upon this, I could not quite refrain from smiling.

"This is in the nature of a countercheck to the memorial?" said I.

"You are cunning, Mr. David," said he, "and you do not wholly guess
wrong; the fact will be of use to me in my defence. Perhaps, however,
you underrate my friendly sentiments, which are perfectly genuine. I
have a respect