t can be of no service, I beg it may
be returned.'

He took from his bosom the lines he had that morning received, and
presented them with the envelope. The Major perused them in silence, and
directed his clerk to make a copy of them. He then wrapped the copy in
the envelope, and placing it on the table before him, returned the
original to Waverley, with an air of melancholy gravity.

After indulging the prisoner, for such our hero must now be considered,
with what he thought a reasonable time for reflection, Major Melville
resumed his examination, premising that, as Mr. Waverley seemed to object
to general questions, his interrogatories should be as specific as his
information permitted. He then proceeded in his investigation, dictating,
as he went on, the import of the questions and answers to the amanuensis,
by whom it was written down.

'Did Mr. Waverley know one Humphry Houghton, a non-commissioned officer
in Gardiner's dragoons?'

'Certainly; he was sergeant of my troop, and son of a tenant of my
uncle.'

'Exactly--and had a considerable share of your confidence, and an
influence among his comrades?'

'I had never occasion to repose confidence in a person of his
description,' answered Waverley. 'I favoured Sergeant Houghton as a
clever, active young fellow, and I believe his fellow-soldiers respected
him accordingly.'

'But you used through this man,' answered Major Melville, 'to communicate
with such of your troop as were recruited upon Waverley-Honour?'

'Certainly; the poor fellows, finding themselves in a regiment chiefly
composed of Scotch or Irish, looked up to me in any of their little
distresses, and naturally made their countryman and sergeant their
spokesman on such occasions.'

'Sergeant Houghton's influence,' continued the Major, 'extended, then,
particularly over those soldiers who followed you to the regiment from
your uncle's estate?'

'Surely; but what is that to the present purpose?'

'To that I am just coming, and I beseech your candid reply. Have you,
since leaving the regiment, held any correspondence, direct or indirect,
with this Sergeant Houghton?'

'I!--I hold correspondence with a man of his rank and situation! How, or
for what purpose?'

'That you are to explain. But did you not, for example, send to him for
some books?'

'You remind me of a trifling commission,' said Waverley, 'which I gave
Sergeant Houghton, because my servant could not read. I do recollect I
bade hi