In　the　meantime；　Cristal　Nixon；　still　keeping　hold　of　Darsie；　and　following　the　landlord；　forced　his　way　with　some　difficulty　through　the　crowded　kitchen；　and　entered　a　small　apartment　on　the　other　side　of　it；　where　they　found　Lilias　Redgauntlet　already　seated。　　Here　Nixon　gave　way　to　his　suppressed　resentment；　and　turning　sternly　on　Crackenthorp；　threatened　him　with　his　master's　severest　displeasure；　because　things　were　in　such　bad　order　to　receive　his　family；　when　he　had　given　such　special　advice　that　he　desired　to　be　private。　　But　Father　Crackenthorp　was　not　a　man　to　be　brow…beaten。
  'Why；　brother　Nixon；　thou　art　angry　this　morning；'　he　replied；　'hast　risen　from　thy　wrong　side；　I　think。　　You　know；　as　well　as　I；　that　most　of　this　mob　is　of　the　squire's　own　makinggentlemen　that　come　with　their　servants；　and　so　forth；　to　meet　him　in　the　way　of　business；　as　old　Tom　Turnpenny　saysthe　very　last　that　came　was　sent　down　with　Dick　Gardener　from　Fairladies。'
  'But　the　blind　scraping　scoundrel　yonder；'　said　Nixon；　'how　dared　you　take　such　a　rascal　as　that　across　your　threshold　at　such　a　time　as　this？　　If　the　squire　should　dream　you　have　a　thought　of　peachingI　am　only　speaking　for　your　good；　Father　Crackenthorp。'
  'Why；　look　ye；　brother　Nixon；'　said　Crackenthorp；　turning　his　quid　with　great　composure；　'the　squire　is　a　very　worthy　gentleman；　and　I'll　never　deny　it；　but　I　am　neither　his　servant　nor　his　tenant；　and　so　he　need　send　me　none　of　his　orders　till　he　hears　I　have　put　on　his　livery。　　As　for　turning　away　folk　from　my　door；　I　might　as　well　plug　up　the　ale…tap；　and　pull　down　the　signand　as　for　peaching；　and　such　like；　the　squire　will　find　the　folk　here　are　as　honest　to　the　full　as　those　he　brings　with　him。'
  'How；　you　impudent　lump　of　tallow；'　said　Nixon；　'what　do　you　mean　by　that？'
  'Nothing；'　said　Crackenthorp；　'but　that　I　can　tour　out　as　well　as　anotheryou　understand　mekeep　good　lights　in　my　upper　story　know　a　thing　or　two　more　than　most　folk　in　this　country。　　If　folk　will　come　to　my　house　on　dangerous　errands；　egad　they　shall　not　find　Joe　Crackenthorp　a　cat's…paw。　　I'll　keep　myself　clear；　you　may　depend　on　it；　and　let　every　man　answer　for　his　own　actions　that's　my　way。　　Anything　wanted；　Master　Nixon？'
  'Noyesbegone！'　　said　Nixon；　who　seemed　embarrassed　with　the　landlord's　contumacy；　yet　desirous　to　conceal　the　effect　it　produced　on　him。
  The　door　was　no　sooner　closed　on　Crackenthorp；　than　Miss　Redgauntlet；　addressing　Nixon；　commanded　him　to　leave　the　room　and　go　to　his　proper　place。
  'How；　madam？'　　said　the　fellow　sullenly；　yet　with　an　air　of　respect；　'Would　you　have　your　uncle　pistol　me　for　disobeying　his　orders？'
  'He　may　perhaps　pistol　you　for　some　other　reason；　if　you　do　not　obey　mine；'　said　Lilias；　composedly。
  'You　abuse　your　advantage　over　me；　madamI　really　dare　not　goI　am　on　guard　over　this　other　miss　here；　and　if　I　should　desert　my　post；　my　life　were　not　worth　five　minutes'　purchase。'
  'Then　know　your　post；　sir；'　said　Lilias；　'and　watch　on　the　outside　of　the　door。　　You　have　no　commission　to　listen　to　our　private　conversation；　I　suppose？　　Begone；　sir；　without　further　speech　or　remonstrance；　or　I　will　tell　my　uncle　that　which　you　would　have　reason　to　repent　be　should　know。'
  The　fellow　looked　at　her　with　a　singular　expression　of　spite；　mixed　with　deference。　　'You　abuse　your　advantages；　madam；'　he　said；　'and　act　as　foolishly　in　doing　so　as　I　did　in　affording　you　such　a　hank　over　me。　　But　you　are　a　tyrant；　and　tyrants　have　commonly　short　reigns。'
  So　saying；　he　left　the　apartment。
  'The　wretch's　unparalleled　insolence；'　said　Lilias　to　her　brother；　'has　given　me　one　great　advantage　over　him。　　For　knowing　that　my　uncle　would　shoot　him　with　as　little　remorse　as　a　woodcock；　if　he　but　guessed　at　his　brazen…faced　assurance　towards　me；　he　dares　not　since　that　time　assume；　so　far　as　I　am　concerned；　the　air　of　insolent　domination　which　the　possession　of　my　uncle's　secrets；　and　the　knowledge　of　his　most　secret　plans；　have　led　him　to　exert　over　others　of　his　family。'
  'In　the　meantime；'　said　Darsie；　'I　am　happy　to　see　that　the　landlord　of　the　house　does　not　seem　so　devoted　to　him　as　I　apprehended；　and　this　aids　the　hope　of　escape　which　I　am　nourishing　for　you　and　for　myself。　　O　Lilias！　　the　truest　of　friends；　Alan　Fairford；　is　in　pursuit　of　me；　and　is　here　at　this　moment。　　Another　humble；　but；　I　think；　faithful　friend；　is　also　within　these　dangerous　walls；'
  Lilias　laid　her　finger　on　her　lips；　and　pointed　to　the　door。　Darsie　took　the　hint；　lowered　his　voice；　and　informed　her　in　whispers　of　the　arrival　of　Fairford；　and　that　he　believed　he　had　opened　a　communication　with　Wandering　Willie。　　She　listened　with　the　utmost　interest；　and　had　just　begun　to　reply；　when　a　loud　noise　was　heard　in　the　kitchen；　caused　by　several　contending　voices；　amongst　which　Darsie　thought　he　could　distinguish　that　of　Alan　Fairford。
  Forgetting　how　little　his　own　condition　permitted　him　to　become　the　assistant　of　another；　Darsie　flew　to　the　door　of　the　room；　and　finding　it　locked　and　bolted　on　the　outside；　rushed　against　it　with　all　his　force；　and　made　the　most　desperate　efforts　to　burst　it　open；　notwithstanding　the　entreaties　of　his　sister　that　he　would　compose　himself　and　recollect　the　condition　in　which　he　was　placed。　　But　the　door；　framed　to　withstand　attacks　from　excisemen；　constables；　and　other　personages；　considered　as　worthy　to　use　what　are　called　the　king's　keys；　＇In　common　parlance；　a　crowbar　and　hatchet。＇　　'and　therewith　to　make　lockfast　places　open　and　patent；'　set　his　efforts　at　defiance。　　Meantime　the　noise　continued　without；　and　we　are　to　give　an　account　of　its　origin　in　our　next　chapter。
  CHAPTER　XX
  NARRATIVE　OF　DARSIE　LATIMER；　CONTINUED
  Joe　Crackenthorp's　public…house　had　never；　since　it　first　reared　its　chimneys　on　the　banks　of　the　Solway；　been　frequented　by　such　a　miscellaneous　group　of　visitors　as　had　that　morning　become　its　guests。　　Several　of　them　were　persons　whose　quality　seemed　much　superior　to　their　dresses　and　modes　of　travelling。　　The　servants　who　attended　them　contradicted　the　inferences　to　be　drawn　from　the　garb　of　their　masters；　and；　according　to　the　custom　of　the　knights　of　the　rainbow；　gave　many　hints　that　they　were　not　people　to　serve　any　but　men　of　first…rate　consequence。　　These　gentlemen；　who　had　come　thither　chiefly　for　the　purpose　of　meeting　with　Mr。　Redgauntlet；　seemed　moody　and　anxious；　conversed　and　walked　together　apparently　in　deep　conversation；　and　avoided　any　communication　with　the　chance　travellers　whom　accident　brought　that　morning　to　the　same　place　of　resort。
  As　if　Fate　had　set　herself　to　confound　the　plans　of　the　Jacobite　conspirators；　the　number　of　travellers　was　unusually　great；　their　appearance　respectable；　and　they　filled　the　public　tap…room　of　the　inn；　where　the　political　guests　had　already　occupied　most　of　the　private　apartments。
  Amongst　others；　honest　Joshua　Geddes　had　arrived；　travelling；　as　he　said；　in　the　sorrow　of　the　soul；　and　mourning　for　the　fate　of　Darsie　Latimer　as　he　would　for　his　first…born　child。　　He　had　skirted　the　whole　coast　of　the　Solway；　besides　making　various　trips　into　the　interior；　not　shunning；　on　such　occasions；　to　expose　himself　to　the　laugh　of　the　scorner；　nay；　even　to　serious　personal　risk；　by　frequenting　the　haunts　of　smugglers；　horse…　jockeys；　and　other　irregular　persons；　who　looked　on　his　intrusion　with　jealous　eyes；　and　were　apt　to　consider　him　as　an　exciseman　in　the　disguise　of　a　Quaker。　　All　this　labour　and　peril；　however；　had　been　undergone　in　vain。　　No　search　he　could　make　obtained　the　least　intelligence　of　Latimer；　so　that　he　began　to　fear　the　poor　lad　had　been　spirited　abroadfor　the　practice　of　kidnapping　was　then　not　infrequent；　especially　on　the　western　coasts　of　Britain　if　indeed　he　had　escaped　a　briefer　and　more　bloody　fate。
  With　a　heavy　heart；　he　delivered　his　horse；　even　Solomon；　into　the　hands　of　the　ostler；　and　walking　into　the　inn；　demanded　from　the　landlord　breakfast　and　a　private　room。　　Quakers；　and　such　hosts　as　old　Father　Crackenthorp；　are　no　congenial　spirits；　the　latter　looked　askew　over　his　shoulder；　and　replied；　'If　you　would　have　breakfast　here；　friend；　you　are　like　to　eat　it　where　other　folk　eat　theirs。'
  'And　wherefore　can　I　not；'　said　the　Quaker；　'have　an　apartment　to　myself；　for　my　money？'
  'Because；　Master　Jonathan；　you　must　wait　till　your　betters　be　served；　or　else　eat　with　your　equals。'
  Joshua　Geddes　argued　the　point　no　further；　but　sitting　quietly　down　on　the　seat　which　Crackenthorp　indicated　to　him；　and　calling　for　a　pint　of　ale；　with　some　bread；　butter；　and　Dutch　cheese；　began　to　satisfy　the　appetite　which　the　morning　air　had　rendered　unusually　alert。
  While　the　honest　Quaker　was　thus　employed；　another　stranger　entered　the　apartment；　and　sat　down　near　to　the　table　on　which　his　victuals　were　placed。　　He　looked　repeatedly　at　Joshua；　licked　his　parched　and　chopped　lips　as　he　saw　the　good　Quaker　masticate　his　bread　and　cheese；　and　sucked　up　his　thin　chops　when　Mr。　Geddes　applied　the　tankard　to　his　mouth；　as　if　the　discharge　of　these　bodily　functions　by　another　had　awakened　his　sympathies　in　an　uncontrollable　degree。　　At　last；　being　apparently　unable　to　withstand　his　longings；　he　asked；　in　a　fal