e justice done to Mr. Balfour;
and by what I can see, not very likely to have much else in common. But
I accept your apology, which was a very proper one to make."

"And that is more than I could look for, Mr. Thomson," said Rankeillor,
heartily. "And now as you and I are the chief actors in this enterprise,
I think we should come into a nice agreement; to which end, I propose
that you should lend me your arm, for (what with the dusk and the want
of my glasses) I am not very clear as to the path; and as for you, Mr.
David, you will find Torrance a pleasant kind of body to speak with.
Only let me remind you, it's quite needless he should hear more of your
adventures or those of--ahem--Mr. Thomson."

Accordingly these two went on ahead in very close talk, and Torrance and
I brought up the rear.

Night was quite come when we came in view of the house of Shaws. Ten
had been gone some time; it was dark and mild, with a pleasant, rustling
wind in the south-west that covered the sound of our approach; and as we
drew near we saw no glimmer of light in any portion of the building. It
seemed my uncle was already in bed, which was indeed the best thing for
our arrangements. We made our last whispered consultations some fifty
yards away; and then the lawyer and Torrance and I crept quietly up and
crouched down beside the corner of the house; and as soon as we were
in our places, Alan strode to the door without concealment and began to
knock.

CHAPTER XXIX

I COME INTO MY KINGDOM

For some time Alan volleyed upon the door, and his knocking only roused
the echoes of the house and neighbourhood. At last, however, I could
hear the noise of a window gently thrust up, and knew that my uncle
had come to his observatory. By what light there was, he would see Alan
standing, like a dark shadow, on the steps; the three witnesses were
hidden quite out of his view; so that there was nothing to alarm an
honest man in his own house. For all that, he studied his visitor awhile
in silence, and when he spoke his voice had a quaver of misgiving.

"What's this?" says he. "This is nae kind of time of night for decent
folk; and I hae nae trokings* wi' night-hawks. What brings ye here? I
have a blunderbush."

* Dealings.

"Is that yoursel', Mr. Balfour?" returned Alan, stepping back and
looking up into the darkness. "Have a care of that blunderbuss; they're
nasty things to burst."

"What brings ye here? and whae are ye?" says my u