oming for him, then," said I, "for he'll have to
learn of it on the deaf side of his head no later than to-morrow, when I
call on him."

"When ye _call_ on him!" repeated Mr. Stewart. "Am I daft, or are you?
What takes ye near the Advocate?"

"O, just to give myself up," said I.

"Mr. Balfour," he cried, "are ye making a mock of me?"

"No, sir," said I, "though I think you have allowed yourself some such
freedom with myself. But I give you to understand once and for all that
I am in no jesting spirit."

"Nor yet me," says Stewart. "And I give you to understand (if that's to
be the word) that I like the looks of your behaviour less and less. You
come here to me with all sorts of propositions, which will put me in a
train of very doubtful acts, and bring me among very undesirable persons
this many a day to come. And then you tell me you're going straight out
of my office to make your peace with the Advocate! Alan's button here or
Alan's button there, the four quarters of Alan wouldna bribe me further
in."

"I would take it with a little more temper," said I, "and perhaps we can
avoid what you object to. I can see no way for it but to give myself up,
but perhaps you can see another; and if you could, I could never deny
but what I would be rather relieved. For I think my traffic with his
lordship is little likely to agree with my health. There's just the one
thing clear, that I have to give my evidence; for I hope it'll save
Alan's character (what's left of it), and James's neck, which is the
more immediate."

He was silent for a breathing-space, and then, "My man," said he,
"you'll never be allowed to give such evidence."

"We'll have to see about that," said I; "I'm stiff-necked when I like."

"Ye muckle ass!" cried Stewart, "it's James they want; James has got to
hang--Alan too, if they could catch him--but James whatever! Go near
the Advocate with any such business, and you'll see! he'll find a way to
muzzle ye."

"I think better of the Advocate than that," said I.

"The Advocate be damned!" cries he. "It's the Campbells, man! You'll
have the whole clanjamfry of them on your back; and so will the Advocate
too, poor body! It's extraordinar ye cannot see where ye stand! If
there's no fair way to stop your gab, there's a foul one gaping. They
can put ye in the dock, do ye no' see that?" he cried, and stabbed me
with one finger in the leg.

"Ay," said I, "I was told that same no further back than this morning