“Ay,” said I, “I was told that same no further back than this morning by another lawyer.”

“And who was he?” asked Stewart.  “He spoke sense at least.”

I told I must be excused from naming him, for he was a decent stout old Whig, and had little mind to be mixed up in such affairs.

“I think all the world seems to be mixed up in it!” cries Stewart.  “But what said you?”

I told him what had passed between Rankeillor and myself before the house of Shaws.

“Well, and so ye will hang!” said he.  “Ye’ll hang beside James Stewart.  There’s your fortune told.”

“I hope better of it yet than that,” said I; “but I could never deny there was a risk.”

“Risk!” says he, and then sat silent again.  “I ought to thank you for your staunchness to my friends, to whom you show a very good spirit,” he says, “if you have the strength to stand by it.  But I warn you that you’re wading deep.  I wouldn’t put myself in your place (me that’s a Stewart born!) for all the Stewarts that ever there were since Noah.  Risk? ay, I take over-many, but to be tried in court before a Campbell jury and a Campbell judge, and that in a Campbell country and upon a Campbell quarrel—­think what you like of me, Balfour, it’s beyond me.”

“It’s a different way of thinking, I suppose,” said I; “I was brought up to this one by my father before me.”

“Glory to his bones! he has left a decent son to his name,” says he.  “Yet I would not have you judge me over-sorely.  My case is dooms hard.  See, sir! ye tell me ye’re a Whig:  I wonder what I am.  No Whig to be sure; I couldnae be just that.  But—­laigh in your ear, man—­I’m maybe no very keen on the other side.”

“Is that a fact?” cried I.  “It’s what I would think of a man of your intelligence.”

“Hut! none of your whillywhas!"[4] cries he.  “There’s intelligence upon both sides.  But for my private part I have no particular desire to harm King George; and as for King James, God bless him! he does very well for me across the water.  I’m a lawyer, ye see:  fond of my books and my bottle, a good plea, a well-drawn deed, a crack in the Parliament House with other lawyer bodies, and perhaps a turn at the golf on a Saturday at e’en.  Where do ye come in with your Hieland plaids and claymores?”

“Well,” said I, “it’s a fact ye have little of the wild Highlandman.”

“Little?” quoth he.  “Nothing, man!  And yet I’m Hieland born, and when the clan pipes, who but me has to dance?  The clan and the name, that goes by all.  It’s just what you said yourself; my father learned it to me, and a bonny trade I have of it.  Treason and traitors, and the smuggling of them out and in; and the French recruiting, weary fall it! and the smuggling through of the recruits; and their pleas—­a sorrow of their pleas!  Here haye I been moving one for young Ardshiel, my cousin; claimed the estate under the marriage contract—­a forfeited estate!