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you have been able to persuade him to return where I shall be always



gratified to find him."

So they each made me a little farthingcompliment, and I was led away.



If this visit to the family had been meant to soften my resistance, it

was the worst of failures. I was no such ass but what I understood how



poor a figure I had made, and that the girls would be yawning their

jaws off as soon as my stiff back was turned. I felt I had shown how



little I had in me of what was soft and graceful; and I longed for a

chance to prove that I had something of the other stuff, the stern and



dangerous.

Well, I was to be served to my desire, for the scene to which he was



conducting me was of a different character.

CHAPTER VI - UMQUILE THE MASTER OF LOVAT



THERE was a man waiting us in Prestongrange's study, whom I distasted

at the first look, as we distaste a ferret or an earwig. He was bitter



ugly, but seemed very much of a gentleman; had still manners, but

capable of sudden leaps and violences; and a small voice, which could



ring out shrill and dangerous when he so desired.

The Advocate presented us in a familiar, friendly way.



"Here, Fraser," said he, "here is Mr. Balfour whom we talked about.

Mr. David, this is Mr. Simon Fraser, whom we used to call by another



title, but that is an old song. Mr. Fraser has an errand to you."

With that he stepped aside to his book-shelves, and made believe to



consult a quarto volume in the far end.

I was thus left (in a sense) alone with perhaps the last person in the



world I had expected. There was no doubt upon the terms of

introduction; this could be no other than the forfeited Master of Lovat



and chief of the great clan Fraser. I knew he had led his men in the

Rebellion; I knew his father's head - my old lord's, that grey fox of



the mountains - to have fallen on the block for that offence, the lands

of the family to have been seized, and their nobility attainted. I



could not conceive what he should be doing in Grant's house; I could

not conceive that he had been called to the bar, had eaten all his



principles, and was now currying favour with the Government even to the

extent of acting Advocate-Depute in the Appin murder.



"Well, Mr. Balfour," said he, "what is all this I hear of ye?"

"It would not become me to prejudge," said I, "but if the Advocate was



your authority he is fully possessed of my opinions."

"I may tell you I am engaged in the Appin case," he went on; "I am to



appear under Prestongrange; and from my study of the precognitions I

can assure you your opinions are erroneous. The guilt of Breck is



manifest; and your testimony, in which you admit you saw him on the

hill at the very moment, will certify his hanging."



"It will be rather ill to hang him till you catch him," I observed.

"And for other matters I very willingly leave you to your own



impressions."

"The Duke has been informed," he went on. "I have just come from his



Grace, and he expressed himself before me with an honest freedom like

the great nobleman he is. He spoke of you by name, Mr. Balfour, and



declared his gratitudebeforehand in case you would be led by those who

understand your own interests and those of the country so much better



than yourself. Gratitude is no empty expression in that mouth:

EXPERTO-CREDE. I daresay you know something of my name and clan, and



the damnable example and lamented end of my late father, to say nothing

of my own errata. Well, I have made my peace with that good Duke; he



has intervened for me with our friend Prestongrange; and here I am with

my foot in the stirrup again and some of the responsibility shared into



my hand of prosecuting King George's enemies and avenging the late

daring and barefaced insult to his Majesty."



"Doubtless a proud position for your father's son," says I.

He wagged his bald eyebrows at me. "You are pleased to make



experiments in the ironical, I think," said he. "But I am here upon

duty, I am here to discharge my errand in good faith, it is in vain you



think to divert me. And let me tell you, for a young fellow of spirit

and ambition like yourself, a good shove in the beginning will do more



than ten years' drudgery. The shove is now at your command; choose

what you will to be advanced in, the Duke will watch upon you with the



affectionate disposition of a father."

"I am thinking that I lack the docility of the son," says I.



"And do you really suppose, sir, that the whole policy of this country

is to be suffered to trip up and tumble down for an ill-mannered colt



of a boy?" he cried. "This has been made a test case, all who would

prosper in the future must put a shoulder to the wheel. Look at me!



Do you suppose it is for my pleasure that I put myself in the highly

invidious position of persecuting a man that I have drawn the sword



alongside of? The choice is not left me."

"But I think, sir, that you forfeited your choice when you mixed in






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