of　them；　and　I　could　hear　their　voices；　clashing　like　crossed
  swords；　in　that　eternal　antiphony　of　'I　told　you；'　and　'I　told　you
  not。'　　Without　doubt；　they　had　gained　very　little　by　their　visit；
  but　then　I　had　gained　less　than　nothing；　and　had　been　bitterly
  dispirited　into　the　bargain。　　Ronald　had　stuck　to　his　guns　and
  refused　me　to　the　last。　　It　was　no　news；　but；　on　the　other　hand；　it
  could　not　be　contorted　into　good　news。　　I　was　now　certain　that
  during　my　temporary　absence　in　France；　all　irons　would　be　put　into
  the　fire；　and　the　world　turned　upside　down；　to　make　Flora　disown
  the　obtrusive　Frenchman　and　accept　Chevenix。　　Without　doubt　she
  would　resist　these　instances：　but　the　thought　of　them　did　not
  please　me；　and　I　felt　she　should　be　warned　and　prepared　for　the
  battle。
  It　was　no　use　to　try　and　see　her　now；　but　I　promised　myself　early
  that　evening　to　return　to　Swanston。　　In　the　meantime　I　had　to　make
  all　my　preparations；　and　look　the　coming　journey　in　the　face。　　Here
  in　Edinburgh　I　was　within　four　miles　of　the　sea；　yet　the　business
  of　approaching　random　fishermen　with　my　hat　in　the　one　hand　and　a
  knife　in　the　other；　appeared　so　desperate；　that　I　saw　nothing　for
  it　but　to　retrace　my　steps　over　the　northern　counties；　and　knock　a
  second　time　at　the　doors　of　Birchell　Fenn。　　To　do　this；　money　would
  be　necessary；　and　after　leaving　my　paper　in　the　hands　of　Flora　I
  had　still　a　balance　of　about　fifteen　hundred　pounds。　　Or　rather　I
  may　say　I　had　them　and　I　had　them　not；　for　after　my　luncheon　with
  Mr。　Robbie　I　had　placed　the　amount；　all　but　thirty　pounds　of
  change；　in　a　bank　in　George　Street；　on　a　deposit　receipt　in　the
  name　of　Mr。　Rowley。　　This　I　had　designed　to　be　my　gift　to　him；　in
  case　I　must　suddenly　depart。　　But　now；　thinking　better　of　the
  arrangement；　I　despatched　my　little　man；　cockade　and　all；　to　lift
  the　fifteen　hundred。
  He　was　not　long　gone；　and　returned　with　a　flushed　face；　and　the
  deposit　receipt　still　in　his　hand。
  'No　go；　Mr。　Anne；'　says　he。
  'How's　that？'　I　inquired；
  'Well；　sir；　I　found　the　place　all　right；　and　no　mistake；'　said　he。
  'But　I　tell　you　what　gave　me　a　blue　fright！　　There　was　a　customer
  standing　by　the　door；　and　I　reckonised　him！　　Who　do　you　think　it
  was；　Mr。　Anne？　　W'y；　that　same　Red…Breast　…　him　I　had　breakfast
  with　near　Aylesbury。'
  'You　are　sure　you　are　not　mistaken？　'　I　asked。
  'Certain　sure；'　he　replied。　　'Not　Mr。　Lavender；　I　don't　mean；　sir；
  I　mean　the　other　party。　　〃Wot's　he　doing　here？'　says　I。　　It　don't
  look　right。〃'
  'Not　by　any　means；'　I　agreed。
  I　walked　to　and　fro　in　the　apartment　reflecting。　　This　particular
  Bow　Street　runner　might　be　here　by　accident；　but　it　was　to　imagine
  a　singular　play　of　coincidence　that　he；　who　had　met　Rowley　and
  spoken　with　him　in　the　'Green　Dragon；'　hard　by　Aylesbury；　should　be
  now　in　Scotland；　where　he　could　have　no　legitimate　business；　and　by
  the　doors　of　the　bank　where　Rowley　kept　his　account。
  'Rowley；'　said　I；　'he　didn't　see　you；　did　he？'
  'Never　a　fear；'　quoth　Rowley。　　'W'y　Mr。　Anne；　sir；　if　he　'ad；　you
  wouldn't　have　seen　ME　any　more！　　I　ain't　a　hass；　sir！'
  'Well；　my　boy；　you　can　put　that　receipt　in　your　pocket。　　You'll
  have　no　more　use　for　it　till　you're　quite　clear　of　me。　　Don't　lose
  it；　though；　it's　your　share　of　the　Christmas…box：　fifteen　hundred
  pounds　all　for　yourself。'
  'Begging　your　pardon；　Mr。　Anne；　sir；　but　wot　for！'　said　Rowley。
  'To　set　up　a　public…house　upon；'　said　I。
  'If　you'll　excuse　me；　sir；　I　ain't　got　any　call　to　set　up　a　public…
  house；　sir；'　he　replied　stoutly。　　'And　I　tell　you　wot；　sir；　it
  seems　to　me　I'm　reether　young　for　the　billet。　　I'm　your　body
  servant；　Mr。　Anne；　or　else　I'm　nothink。'
  'Well；　Rowley；'　I　said；　'I'll　tell　you　what　it's　for。　　It's　for　the
  good　service　you　have　done　me；　of　which　I　don't　care　…　and　don't
  dare　…　to　speak。　　It's　for　your　loyalty　and　cheerfulness；　my　dear
  boy。　　I　had　meant　it　for　you；　but　to　tell　you　the　truth；　it's　past
  mending　now　…　it　has　to　be　yours。　　Since　that　man　is　waiting　by　the
  bank；　the　money　can't　be　touched　until　I'm　gone。'
  'Until　you're　gone；　sir？'　re…echoed　Rowley。　　'You　don't　go
  anywheres　without　me；　I　can　tell　you　that；　Mr。　Anne；　sir！'
  'Yes；　my　boy；'　said　I；　'we　are　going　to　part　very　soon　now；
  probably　to…morrow。　　And　it's　for　my　sake；　Rowley！　　Depend　upon　it；
  if　there　was　any　reason　at　all　for　that　Bow　Street　man　being　at　the
  bank；　he　was　not　there　to　look　out　for　you。　　How　they　could　have
  found　out　about　the　account　so　early　is　more　than　I　can　fathom；
  some　strange　coincidence　must　have　played　me　false！　　But　there　the
  fact　is；　and　Rowley；　I'll　not　only　have　to　say　farewell　to　you
  presently；　I'll　have　to　ask　you　to　stay　indoors　until　I　can　say　it。
  Remember；　my　boy；　it's　only　so　that　you　can　serve　me　now。'
  'W'y；　sir；　you　say　the　word；　and　of　course　I'll　do　it！'　he　cried。
  '〃Nothink　by　'alves；〃　is　my　motto！　　I'm　your　man；　through　thick　and
  thin；　live　or　die；　I　am！'
  In　the　meantime　there　was　nothing　to　be　done　till　towards　sunset。
  My　only　chance　now　was　to　come　again　as　quickly　as　possible　to
  speech　of　Flora；　who　was　my　only　practicable　banker；　and　not　before
  evening　was　it　worth　while　to　think　of　that。　　I　might　compose
  myself　as　well　as　I　was　able　over　the　CALEDONIAN　MERCURY；　with　its
  ill　news　of　the　campaign　of　France　and　belated　documents　about　the
  retreat　from　Russia；　and；　as　I　sat　there　by　the　fire；　I　was
  sometimes　all　awake　with　anger　and　mortification　at　what　I　was
  reading；　and　sometimes　again　I　would　be　three　parts　asleep　as　I
  dozed　over　the　barren　items　of　home　intelligence。　　'Lately　arrived'
  …　this　is　what　I　suddenly　stumbled　on　…　'at　Dumbreck's　Hotel；　the
  Viscount　of　Saint…Yves。'
  'Rowley；'　said　I。
  'If　you　please；　Mr。　Anne；　sir；'　answered　the　obsequious；　lowering
  his　pipe。
  'Come　and　look　at　this；　my　boy；'　said　I；　holding　out　the　paper。
  'My　crikey！'　said　he。　　'That's　'im；　sir；　sure　enough！'
  'Sure　enough；　Rowley；'　said　I。　　'He's　on　the　trail。　　He　has　fairly
  caught　up　with　us。　　He　and　this　Bow　Street　man　have　come　together；
  I　would　swear。　　And　now　here　is　the　whole　field；　quarry；　hounds　and
  hunters；　all　together　in　this　city　of　Edinburgh。'
  'And　wot　are　you　goin'　to　do　now；　sir？　　Tell　you　wot；　let　me　take
  it　in　'and；　please！　　Gimme　a　minute；　and　I'll　disguise　myself；　and
  go　out　to　this　Dum　…　to　this　hotel；　leastways；　sir　…　and　see　wot
  he's　up　to。　　You　put　your　trust　in　me；　Mr。　Anne：　I'm　fly；　don't　you
  make　no　mistake　about　it。　　I'm　all　a…growing　and　a…blowing；　I　am。'
  'Not　one　foot　of　you；'　said　I。　　'You　are　a　prisoner；　Rowley；　and
  make　up　your　mind　to　that。　　So　am　I；　or　next　door　to　it。　　I　showed
  it　you　for　a　caution；　if　you　go　on　the　streets；　it　spells　death　to
  me；　Rowley。'
  'If　you　please；　sir；'　says　Rowley。
  'Come　to　think　of　it；'　I　continued；　'you　must　take　a　cold；　or
  something。　　No　good　of　awakening　Mrs。　McRankine's　suspicions。'
  'A　cold？'　he　cried；　recovering　immediately　from　his　depression。　　'I
  can　do　it；　Mr。　Anne。'
  And　he　proceeded　to　sneeze　and　cough　and　blow　his　nose；　till　I
  could　not　restrain　myself　from　smiling。
  'Oh；　I　tell　you；　I　know　a　lot　of　them　dodges；'　he　observed　proudly。
  'Well；　they　come　in　very　handy；'　said　I。
  'I'd　better　go　at　once　and　show　it　to　the　old　gal；　'adn't　I？'　he
  asked。
  I　told　him；　by　all　means；　and　he　was　gone　upon　the　instant；　gleeful
  as　though　to　a　game　of　football。
  I　took　up　the　paper　and　read　carelessly　on；　my　thoughts　engaged
  with　my　immediate　danger；　till　I　struck　on　the　next　paragraph：…
  'In　connection　with　the　recent　horrid　murder　in　the　Castle；　we　are
  desired　to　make　public　the　following　intelligence。　　The　soldier；
  Champdivers；　is　supposed　to　be　in　the　neighbourhood　of　this　city。
  He　is　about　the　middle　height　or　rather　under；　of　a　pleasing
  appearance　and　highly　genteel　address。　　When　last　heard　of　he　wore
  a　fashionable　suit　of　pearl…grey；　and　boots　with　fawn…coloured
  tops。　　He　is　accompanied　by　a　servant　about　sixteen　years　of　age；
  speaks　English　without　any　accent；　and　passed　under　the　ALIAS　of
  Ramornie。　　A　reward　is　offered　for　his　apprehension。'
  In　a　moment　I　was　in　the　next　room；　stripping　from　me　the　pearl…
  coloured　suit！
  I　confess　I　was　now　a　good　deal　agitated。　　It　is　difficult　to　watch
  the　toils　closing　slowly　and　surely　about　you；　and　to　retain　your
  composure；　and　I　was　glad　that　Rowley　was　not　present　to　spy　on　my
  confusion。　　I　was　flushed；　my　breath　came　thick；　I　cannot　remember
  a　time　when　I　was　more　put　out。
  And　yet　I　must　wait　and　do　nothing；　and　partake　of　my　meals；　and
  entertain　the　ever…garrulous　Rowley；　as　though　I　were　entirely　my
  own　man。　　And　if　I　did　not　require　to　entertain　Mrs。　McRankine
  also；　that　was　but　another　drop　of　bitterness　in　my　cup！　　For　w