chair　a　little　behind　that　of　the　Justice；　so　as　to　be　unseen　by　him　or　his　clerk；　who　sat　upon　the　same　side；　while　he　bent　on　me　a　frown　so　portentous；　that　no　one　who　has　witnessed　the　look　can　forget　it　during　the　whole　of　his　life。　　The　furrows　of　the　brow　above　the　eyes　became　livid　and　almost　black；　and　were　bent　into　a　semicircular；　or　rather　elliptical　form；　above　the　junction　of　the　eyebrows。　　I　had　heard　such　a　look　described　in　an　old　tale　of　DIABLERIE；　which　it　was　my　chance　to　be　entertained　with　not　long　since；　when　this　deep　and　gloomy　contortion　of　the　frontal　muscles　was　not　unaptly　described　as　forming　the　representation　of　a　small　horseshoe。
  The　tale；　when　told；　awaked　a　dreadful　vision　of　infancy；　which　the　withering　and　blighting　look　now　fixed　on　me　again　forced　on　my　recollection；　but　with　much　more　vivacity。　　Indeed；　I　was　so　much　surprised；　and；　I　must　add；　terrified；　at　the　vague　ideas　which　were　awakened　in　my　mind　by　this　fearful　sign；　that　I　kept　my　eyes　fixed　on　the　face　in　which　it　was　exhibited；　as　on　a　frightful　vision；　until；　passing　his　handkerchief　a　moment　across　his　countenance；　this　mysterious　man　relaxed　at　once　the　look　which　had　for　me　something　so　appalling。　　'The　young　man　will　no　longer　deny　that　he　has　seen　me　before；'　said　he　to　the　Justice；　in　a　tone　of　complacency；　'and　I　trust　he　will　now　be　reconciled　to　my　temporary　guardianship；　which　may　end　better　for　him　than　he　expects。'
  'Whatever　I　expect；'　I　replied；　summoning　my　scattered　recollections　together；　'I　see　I　am　neither　to　expect　justice　nor　protection　from　this　gentleman；　whose　office　it　is　to　render　both　to　the　lieges。　　For　you；　sir；　how　strangely　you　have　wrought　yourself　into　the　fate　of　an　unhappy　young　man　or　what　interest　you　can　pretend　in　me；　you　yourself　only　can　explain。　　That　I　have　seen　you　before　is　certain；　for　none　can　forget　the　look　with　which　you　seem　to　have　the　power　of　blighting　those　upon　whom　you　cast　it。'
  The　Justice　seemed　not　very　easy　under　this　hint；'Ha！aye；'　he　said；　'it　is　time　to　be　going；　neighbour。　　I　have　a　many　miles　to　ride；　and　I　care　not　to　ride　darkling　in　these　parts。　　You　and　I；　Mr。　Nicholas；　must　be　jogging。'
  The　Justice　fumbled　with　his　gloves；　in　endeavouring　to　draw　them　on　hastily；　and　Mr。　Nicholas　bustled　to　get　his　greatcoat　and　whip。　　Their　landlord　endeavoured　to　detain　them；　and　spoke　of　supper　and　beds。　　Both；　pouring　forth　many　thanks　for　his　invitation；　seemed　as　if　they　would　much　rather　not；　and　Mr。　Justice　Foxley　was　making　a　score　of　apologies；　with　at　least　a　hundred　cautionary　hems　and　eh…ehs；　when　the　girl　Dorcas　burst　into　the　room；　and　announced　a　gentleman　on　justice　business。
  'What　gentleman？and　whom　does　he　want？'
  'He　is　cuome　post　on　his　ten　toes；'　said　the　wench；　'and　on　justice　business　to　his　worship　loike。　　I'se　uphald　him　a　gentleman；　for　he　speaks　as　good　Latin　as　the　schule…measter；　but；　lack…a…day！　　he　has　gotten　a　queer　mop　of　a　wig。'
  The　gentleman；　thus　announced　and　described；　bounced　into　the　room。　　But　I　have　already　written　as　much　as　fills　a　sheet　of　my　paper；　and　my　singular　embarrassments　press　so　hard　on　me　that　I　have　matter　to　fill　another　from　what　followed　the　intrusion　of　my　dear　Alanyour　crazy　clientPoor　Peter　Peebles！
  CHAPTER　VII
  LATIMER'S　JOURNAL；　IN　CONTINUATION
  Sheet　2。
  I　have　rarely　in　my　life；　till　the　last　alarming　days；　known　what　it　was　to　sustain　a　moment's　real　sorrow。　　What　I　called　such；　was；　I　am　now　well　convinced；　only　the　weariness　of　mind　which；　having　nothing　actually　present　to　complain　of；　turns　upon　itself　and　becomes　anxious　about　the　past　and　the　future；　those　periods　with　which　human　life　has　so　little　connexion；　that　Scripture　itself　hath　said；　'Sufficient　for　the　day　is　the　evil　thereof。'
  If；　therefore；　I　have　sometimes　abused　prosperity；　by　murmuring　at　my　unknown　birth　and　uncertain　rank　in　society；　I　will　make　amends　by　bearing　my　present　real　adversity　with　patience　and　courage；　and；　if　I　can；　even　with　gaiety。　　What　can　theydare　they…do　to　me？　　Foxley；　I　am　persuaded；　is　a　real　Justice　of　Peace；　and　country　gentleman　of　estate；　though　（wonderful　to　tell！）　he　is　an　ass　notwithstanding；　and　his　functionary　in　the　drab　coat　must　have　a　shrewd　guess　at　the　consequences　of　being　accessory　to　an　act　of　murder　or　kidnapping。　　Men　invite　not　such　witnesses　to　deeds　of　darkness。　　I　have　alsoAlan；　I　have　hopes；　arising　out　of　the　family　of　the　oppressor　himself。　　I　am　encouraged　to　believe　that　G。M。　is　likely　again　to　enter　on　the　field。　　More　I　dare　not　here　say；　nor　must　I　drop　a　hint　which　another　eye　than　thine　might　be　able　to　construe。　　Enough；　my　feelings　are　lighter　than　they　have　been；　and；　though　fear　and　wonder　are　still　around　me；　they　are　unable　entirely　to　overcloud　the　horizon。
  Even　when　I　saw　the　spectral　form　of　the　old　scarecrow　of　the　Parliament　House　rush　into　the　apartment　where　I　had　undergone　so　singular　an　examination；　I　thought　of　thy　connexion　with　him；　and　could　almost　have　parodied　Lear
  Death！nothing　could　have　thus　subdued　nature　　　To　such　a　lowness；　but　his　'learned　lawyers。'
  He　was　e'en　as　we　have　seen　him　of　yore；　Alan；　when；　rather　to　keep　thee　company　than　to　follow　my　own　bent；　I　formerly　frequented　the　halls　of　justice。　　The　only　addition　to　his　dress；　in　the　capacity　of　a　traveller；　was　a　pair　of　boots；　that　seemed　as　if　they　might　have　seen　the　field　of　Sheriffmoor；　so　large　and　heavy　that；　tied　as　they　were　to　the　creature's　wearied　hams　with　large　bunches　of　worsted　tape　of　various　colours；　they　looked　as　if　he　had　been　dragging　them　along；　either　for　a　wager　or　by　way　of　penance。
  Regardless　of　the　surprised　looks　of　the　party　on　whom　he　thus　intruded　himself；　Peter　blundered　into　the　middle　of　the　apartment；　with　his　head　charged　like　a　ram's　in　the　act　of　butting；　and　saluted　them　thus：
  'Gude　day　to　ye；　gude　day　to　your　honours。　　Is't　here　they　sell　the　fugie　warrants？'
  I　observed　that　on　his　entrance；　my　friendor　enemydrew　himself　back；　and　placed　himself　as　if　he　would　rather　avoid　attracting　the　observation　of　the　new…comer。　　I　did　the　same　myself；　as　far　as　I　was　able；　for　I　thought　it　likely　that　Mr。　Peebles　might　recognize　me；　as　indeed　I　was　too　frequently　among　the　group　of　young　juridical　aspirants　who　used　to　amuse　themselves　by　putting　cases　for　Peter's　solution；　and　playing　him　worse　tricks；　yet　I　was　uncertain　whether　I　had　better　avail　myself　of　our　acquaintance　to　have　the　advantage；　such　as　it　might　be；　of　his　evidence　before　the　magistrate；　or　whether　to　make　him；　if　possible；　bearer　of　a　letter　which　might　procure　me　more　effectual　assistance。　　I　resolved；　therefore；　to　be　guided　by　circumstances；　and　to　watch　carefully　that　nothing　might　escape　me。　　I　drew　back　as　far　as　I　could；　and　even　reconnoitred　the　door　and　passage；　to　consider　whether　absolute　escape　might　not　be　practicable。　　But　there　paraded　Cristal　Nixon；　whose　little　black　eyes；　sharp　as　those　of　a　basilisk；　seemed；　the　instant　when　they　encountered　mine；　to　penetrate　my　purpose。
  I　sat　down；　as　much　out　of　sight　of　all　parties　as　I　could；　and　listened　to　the　dialogue　which　followeda　dialogue　how　much　more　interesting　to　me　than　any　I　could　have　conceived；　in　which　Peter　Peebles　was　to　be　one　of　the　dramatis　personae！
  'Is　it　here　where　ye　sell　the　warrantsthe　fugies；　ye　ken？'　said　Peter。
  'Heyehwhat！'　　said　Justice　Foxley；　'what　the　devil　does　the　fellow　mean？What　would　you　have　a　warrant　for？'
  'It　is　to　apprehend　a　young　lawyer　that　is　IN　MEDITATIONE　FUGAE；　for　he　has　ta'en　my　memorial　and　pleaded　my　cause；　and　a　good　fee　I　gave　him；　and　as　muckle　brandy　as　he　could　drink　that　day　at　his　father's　househe　loes　the　brandy　ower　weel　for　sae　youthful　a　creature。'
  'And　what　has　this　drunken　young　dog　of　a　lawyer　done　to　you；　that　you　are　come　to　meehha？　　Has　he　robbed　you？　　Not　unlikely　if　he　be　a　lawyerehNickha？'　　said　Justice　Foxley。
  'He　has　robbed　me　of　himself；　sir；'　answered　Peter；　'of　his　help；　comfort；　aid；　maintenance；　and　assistance；　whilk；　as　a　counsel　to　a　client；　he　is　bound　to　yield　me　RATIONE　OFFICIIthat　is　it；　ye　see。　　He　has　pouched　my　fee；　and　drucken　a　mutchkin　of　brandy；　and　now　he's　ower　the　march；　and　left　my　cause；　half　won　half　lostas　dead　a　heat　as　e'er　was　run　ower　the　back…sands。　　Now；　I　was　advised　by　some　cunning　laddies　that　are　used　to　crack　a　bit　law　wi'　me　in　the　House；　that　the　best　thing　I　could　do　was　to　take　heart　o'　grace　and　set　out　after　him；　so　I　have　taken　post　on　my　ain　shanks；　forby　a　cast　in　a　cart；　or　the　like。　　I　got　wind　of　him　in　Dumfries；　and　now　I　have　run　him　ower　to　the　English　side；　and　I　want　a　fugie　warrant　against　him。'
  How　did　my　heart　throb　at　this　information；　dearest　Alan！　　Thou　art　near　me　then；　and　I　well　know　with　what　kind　purpose；　thou　hast　abandoned　all　to　fly　to　my　assistance；　and　no　wonder　that；　knowing　thy　friendship　and　faith；　thy　sound　sagacity　and　persevering　disposition；　'my　bosom's　lord　should　now　sit　lightly　on　his　throne'；　that　gaiety　should　almost　involuntarily　hover　on　my　pen；　and　that　my　heart　should　beat　like　that　of　a　general；　responsive　to　the　drums　of　his　advancing　ally；　without　whose　help　the　battle　must　have　been　lost。
  I　did　not　suffer