this young
gentleman.'

'Aye, aye--the sheriff-depute did commit some poor creatures, I
believe--wretched ignorant fishermen bodies, that had been quarrelling
with Quaker Geddes and his stake-nets, whilk, under favour of your gown
be it spoken, Mr. Fairford, are not over and above lawful, and the town
clerk thinks that they may be lawfully removed VIA FACTI--but that is by
the by. But, sir, the creatures were a' dismissed for want of evidence;
the Quaker would not swear to them, and what could the sheriff and me
do but just let them loose? Come awa, cheer up, Master Alan, and take a
walk till dinner-time--I must really go to the council.'

'Stop a moment, provost,' said Alan; 'I lodge a complaint before you as
a magistrate, and you will find it serious to slight it over. You must
have these men apprehended again.'

'Aye, aye--easy said; but catch them that can,' answered the provost;
'they are ower the march by this time, or by the point of Cairn.--Lord
help ye! they are a kind of amphibious deevils, neither land nor water
beasts neither English nor Scots--neither county nor stewartry, as we
say--they are dispersed like so much quicksilver. You may as well try to
whistle a sealgh out of the Solway, as to get hold of one of them till
all the fray is over.'

'Mr. Crosbie, this will not do,' answered the young counsellor; 'there
is a person of more importance than such wretches as you describe
concerned in this unhappy business--I must name to you a certain Mr.
Herries.'

He kept his eye on the provost as he uttered the name, which he did
rather at a venture, and from the connexion which that gentleman, and
his real or supposed niece, seemed to have with the fate of Darsie
Latimer, than from any distinct cause of suspicion which he entertained.
He thought the provost seemed embarrassed, though he showed much desire
to assume an appearance of indifference, in which he partly succeeded.

'Herries!' he said--'What Herries?--There are many of that name--not
so many as formerly, for the old stocks are wearing out; but there is
Herries of Heathgill, and Herries of Auchintulloch, and Herries'--

'To save you further trouble, this person's designation is Herries of
Birrenswork.'

'Of Birrenswork?' said Mr. Crosbie; 'I have you now, Mr. Alan. Could you
not as well have said, the Laird of Redgauntlet?'

Fairford was too wary to testify any surprise at this identification of
names, however unexpected. 'I thought,' said he