d, if yon old fanatic
tell truth, attended by a very suspicious character, and mounted on a
horse known to have belonged to Glennaquoich, and bearing on his person
letters from his family expressing high rancour against the house of
Brunswick, and a copy of verses in praise of one Wogan, who abjured the
service of the Parliament to join the Highland insurgents, when in arms
to restore the house of Stuart, with a body of English cavalry--the very
counterpart of his own plot--and summed up with a "Go thou and do
likewise" from that loyal subject, and most safe and peaceable character,
Fergus Mac-Ivor of Glennaquoich, Vich Ian Vohr, and so forth. And,
lastly,' continued Major Melville, warming in the detail of his
arguments, 'where do we find this second edition of Cavalier Wogan? Why,
truly, in the very track most proper for execution of his design, and
pistolling the first of the king's subjects who ventures to question his
intentions.'

Mr. Morton prudently abstained from argument, which he perceived would
only harden the magistrate in his opinion, and merely asked how he
intended to dispose of the prisoner?

'It is a question of some difficulty, considering the state of the
country,' said Major Melville.

'Could you not detain him (being such a gentleman-like young man) here in
your own house, out of harm's way, till this storm blow over?'

'My good friend,' said Major Melville, 'neither your house nor mine will
be long out of harm's way, even were it legal to confine him here. I have
just learned that the commander-in-chief, who marched into the Highlands
to seek out and disperse the insurgents, has declined giving them battle
at Coryarrick, and marched on northward with all the disposable force of
government to Inverness, John-o'-Groat's House, or the devil, for what I
know, leaving the road to the Low Country open and undefended to the
Highland army.'

'Good God!' said the clergyman. 'Is the man a coward, a traitor, or an
idiot?'

'None of the three, I believe,' answered Melville. 'Sir John has the
commonplace courage of a common soldier, is honest enough, does what he
is commanded, and understands what is told him, but is as fit to act for
himself in circumstances of importance as I, my dear parson, to occupy
your pulpit.'

This important public intelligence naturally diverted the discourse from
Waverley for some time; at length, however, the subject was resumed.

'I believe,' said Major Melville, 'that I