"I would think shame to be otherwise the first day of my fortune,"

said I. "And now, if you will compute the outlay and your own

proper charges, I would be glad to know if I could get some

spending-money back. It's not that I grudge the whole of it to get

Alan safe; it's not that I lack more; but having drawn so much the

one day, I think it would have a very ill appearance if I was back

again seeking, the next. Only be sure you have enough," I added,

"for I am very undesirous to meet with you again."

"Well, and I'm pleased to see you're cautious, too," said the

Writer. "But I think ye take a risk to lay so considerable a sum

at my discretion."

He said this with a plain sneer.

"I'll have to run the hazard," I replied. "O, and there's another

service I would ask, and that's to direct me to a lodging, for I

have no roof to my head. But it must be a lodging I may seem to

have hit upon by accident, for it would never do if the Lord

Advocate were to get any jealousy of our acquaintance."

"Ye may set your weary spirit at rest," said he. "I will never

name your name, sir; and it's my belief the Advocate is still so

much to be sympathised with that he doesnae ken of your existence."

I saw I had got to the wrong side of the man.

"There's a braw day coming for him, then," said I, "for he'll have

to learn of it on the deaf side of his head no later than to-

morrow, when I call on him."

"When ye CALL on him!" repeated Mr. Stewart. "Am I daft, or are

you! What takes ye near the Advocate!"

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