‘He had been already deprived of it,’ said Mr. Morton.

‘But he regrets,’ replied Melville, ’that the measure had anticipated his resignation.  His baggage is seized at his quarters, and at Tully-Veolan, and is found to contain a stock of pestilent jacobitical pamphlets, enough to poison a whole country, besides the unprinted lucubrations of his worthy friend and tutor Mr. Pembroke.

‘He says he never read them,’ answered the minister.

‘In an ordinary case I should believe him,’ replied the magistrate, ’for they are as stupid and pedantic in composition, as mischievous in their tenets.  But can you suppose anything but value for the principles they maintain would induce a young man of his age to lug such trash about with him?  Then, when news arrive of the approach of the rebels, he sets out in a sort of disguise, refusing to tell his name; and, if yon old fanatic tell truth, attended by a very suspicious character, and mounted on a horse known to have belonged to Glennaquoich, and bearing on his person letters from his family expressing high rancour against the house of Brunswick, and a copy of verses in praise of one Wogan, who abjured the service of the Parliament to join the Highland insurgents, when in arms to restore the house of Stuart, with a body of English cavalry the very counterpart of his own plot—­and summed up with a “Go thou and do likewise,” from that loyal subject, and most safe and peaceable character, Fergus Mac-Ivor of Glennaquoich, Vich Ian Vohr, and so forth.  And, lastly,’ continued Major Melville, warming in the detail of his arguments, ’where do we find this second edition of Cavalier Wogan?  Why, truly, in the very track most proper for execution of his design, and pistolling the first of the king’s subjects who ventures to question his intentions.’

Mr. Morton prudently abstained from argument, which he perceived would only harden the magistrate in his opinion, and merely asked how he intended to dispose of the prisoner?

’It is a question of some difficulty, considering the state of the country,’ said Major Melville.

’Could you not detain him (being such a gentleman-like young man) here in your own house, out of harm’s way, till this storm blow over?’

‘My good friend,’ said Major Melville, ’neither your house nor mine will be long out of harm’s way, even were it legal to confine him here.  I have just learned that the commander-in-chief, who marched into the Highlands to seek out and disperse the insurgents, has declined giving them battle at Corryerick, and marched on northward with all the disposable force of Government to Inverness, John-o’-Groat’s House, or the devil, for what I know, leaving the road to the Low Country open and undefended to the Highland army.’

‘Good God!’ said the clergyman.  ’Is the man a coward, a traitor, or an idiot?’

‘None of the three, I believe,’ answered Melville.  ’Sir John has the commonplace courage of a common soldier, is honest enough, does what he is commanded, and understands what is told him, but is as fit to act for himself in circumstances of importance, as I, my dear parson, to occupy your pulpit.’