was private in other respects.

The Counsellor resumed and reinterrogated former evidence. He then
examined the clergyman and surgeon respecting the dying declaration of
Meg Merrilies. They stated that she distinctly, positively, and
repeatedly declared herself an eye-witness of Kennedy's death by the
hands of Hatteraick and two or three of his crew; that her presence was
accidental; that she believed their resentment at meeting him, when they
were in the act of losing their vessel through the means of his
information, led to the commission of the crime; that she said there was
one witness of the murder, but who refused to participate in it, still
alive--her nephew, Gabriel Faa; and she had hinted at another person who
was an accessory after, not before, the fact; but her strength there
failed her. They did not forget to mention her declaration that she had
saved the child, and that he was torn from her by the smugglers for the
purpose of carrying him to Holland. All these particulars were carefully
reduced to writing.

Dirk Hatteraick was then brought in, heavily ironed; for he had been
strictly secured and guarded, owing to his former escape. He was asked
his name; he made no answer. His profession; he was silent. Several other
questions were put, to none of which he returned any reply. Pleydell
wiped the glasses of his spectacles and considered the prisoner very
attentively. 'A very truculent-looking fellow,' he whispered to
Mannering; 'but, as Dogberry says, I'll go cunningly to work with him.
Here, call in Soles--Soles the shoemaker. Soles, do you remember
measuring some footsteps imprinted on the mud at the wood of Warroch
on--November 17--, by my orders?' Soles remembered the circumstance
perfectly. 'Look at that paper; is that your note of the measurement?'
Soles verified the memorandum. 'Now, there stands a pair of shoes on that
table; measure them, and see if they correspond with any of the marks you
have noted there.' The shoemaker obeyed, and declared 'that they answered
exactly to the largest of the footprints.'

'We shall prove,' said the Counsellor, aside to Mannering, 'that these
shoes, which were found in the ruins at Derncleugh, belonged to Brown,
the fellow whom you shot on the lawn at Woodbourne. Now, Soles, measure
that prisoner's feet very accurately.'

Mannering observed Hatteraick strictly, and could notice a visible
tremor. 'Do these measurements correspond with any of the footprints?'

The