ntemptible cad, Sir! a base-born, low-bred cad, Sir! What else could
you expect from a fellow of his breeding? The insolence of these lower
orders is becoming insupportable. The idea! the very idea! His bank
against my family name, my family honour! Preposterous!"

"Honour is honour, Captain Cameron," replied Mr. Rae firmly, "and
it might have been better if you had remembered that the honour of a
cottar's son is as dear to him as yours is to you."

And such was Mr. Rae's manner that the Captain appeared to consider it
wise to curb his rage, or at least suppress all reference to questions
of honour in as far as they might be related to the question of birth
and breeding.

CHAPTER V

A LADY AND THE LAW

Mr. Rae's first care was to see Mr. Dunn. This case was getting rather
more trying to Mr. Rae's nerves than he cared to acknowledge. For a
second time he had been humiliated, and humiliation was an experience to
which Mr. Rae was not accustomed. It was in a distinctly wrathful frame
of mind that he called upon Mr. Dunn, and the first quarter of an hour
of his interview he spent in dilating upon his own folly in having
allowed Captain Cameron to accompany him on his visit to Sir Archibald.

"In forty years I never remember having made such an error, Sir. This
was an occasion for diplomacy. We should have taken time. We should have
discovered his weak spots; every man has them. Now it is too late.
The only thing left for us is fight, and the best we can hope for is a
verdict of NOT PROVEN, and that leaves a stigma."

"It is terrible," said Mr. Dunn, "and I believe he is innocent. Have you
thought of Potts, Sir?"

"I have had Potts before me," said Mr. Rae, "and I may safely say that
though he strikes me as being a man of unusual cleverness, we can do
nothing with Mr. Potts. Of course," added Mr. Rae hastily, "this is not
to say we shall not make use of Mr. Potts in the trial, but Mr. Potts
can show from his books debts amounting to nearly sixty pounds. He
frankly acknowledges the pleasantry in suggesting the raising of the
five-pound cheque to fifty pounds, but of the act itself he professes
entire ignorance. I frankly own to you, Sir," continued Mr. Rae, folding
his ear into a horn after his manner when in perplexity, "that this case
puzzles me. I must not take your time," he said, shaking Mr. Dunn warmly
by the hand. "One thing more I must ask you, however, and that is, keep
in touch with young Cameron. I h