.'

'On the contrary, sir,' said Fairford, 'I wish to afford Mr.
Redgauntlet's friends an opportunity to get him out of the scrape, by
procuring the instant liberation of my friend Darsie Latimer. I will
engage that if he has sustained no greater bodily harm than a short
confinement, the matter may be passed over quietly, without inquiry; but
to attain this end, so desirable for the man who has committed a great
and recent infraction of the laws, which he had before grievously
offended, very speedy reparation of the wrong must be rendered.'

Maxwell seemed lost in reflection, and exchanged a glance or two, not of
the most comfortable or congratulatory kind, with his host the provost.
Fairford rose and walked about the room, to allow them an opportunity
of conversing together; for he was in hopes that the impression he
had visibly made upon Summertrees was likely to ripen into something
favourable to his purpose. They took the opportunity, and engaged in
whispers to each other, eagerly and reproachfully on the part of the
laird, while the provost answered in an embarrassed and apologetical
tone. Some broken words of the conversation reached Fairford, whose
presence they seemed to forget, as he stood at the bottom of the room,
apparently intent upon examining the figures upon a fine Indian screen,
a present to the provost from his brother, captain of a vessel in the
Company's service. What he overheard made it evident that his errand,
and the obstinacy with which he pursued it, occasioned altercation
between the whisperers.

Maxwell at length let out the words, 'A good fright; and so send him
home with his tail scalded, like a dog that has come a-privateering on
strange premises.'

The provost's negative was strongly interposed--'Not to be thought
of'--'making bad worse'--'my situation'--'my utility'--'you cannot
conceive how obstinate--just like his father'.

They then whispered more closely, and at length the provost raised his
drooping crest, and spoke in a cheerful tone. 'Come, sit down to your
glass, Mr. Fairford; we have laid our heads thegither, and you shall see
it will not be our fault if you are not quite pleased, and Mr.
Darsie Latimer let loose to take his fiddle under his neck again. But
Summertrees thinks it will require you to put yourself into some bodily
risk, which maybe you may not be so keen of.'

'Gentlemen,' said Fairford, 'I will not certainly shun any risk by which
my object may be accomplis