Our　readers　may　recollect　that　Fairford　had　been　conducted　by　Dick　Gardener　from　the　house　of　Fairladies　to　the　inn　of　old　Father　Crackenthorp；　in　order；　as　he　had　been　informed　by　the　mysterious　Father　Buonaventure；　that　he　might　have　the　meeting　which　he　desired　with　Mr。　Redgauntlet；　to　treat　with　him　for　the　liberty　of　his　friend　Darsie。　　His　guide；　by　the　special　direction　of　Mr。　Ambrose；　had　introduced　him　into　the　public…　house　by　a　back…door；　and　recommended　to　the　landlord　to　accommodate　him　with　a　private　apartment；　and　to　treat　him　with　all　civility；　but　in　other　respects　to　keep　his　eye　on　him；　and　even　to　secure　his　person；　if　he　saw　any　reason　to　suspect　him　to　be　a　spy。　　He　was　not；　however；　subjected　to　any　direct　restraint；　but　was　ushered　into　an　apartment　where　he　was　requested　to　await　the　arrival　of　the　gentleman　with　whom　he　wished　to　have　an　interview；　and　who；　as　Crackenthorp　assured；　him　with　a　significant　nod；　would　be　certainly　there　in　the　course　of　an　hour。　　In　the　meanwhile；　he　recommended　to　him；　with　another　significant　sign；　to　keep　his　apartment；　'as　there　were　people　in　the　house　who　were　apt　to　busy　themselves　about　other　folk's　matters。'
  Alan　Fairford　complied　with　the　recommendation；　so　long　as　he　thought　it　reasonable；　but　when；　among　a　large　party　riding　up　to　the　house；　he　discerned　Redgauntlet；　whom　he　had　seen　under　the　name　of　Mr。　Herries　of　Birrenswork；　and　whom；　by　his　height　and　strength；　he　easily　distinguished　from　the　rest；　he　thought　it　proper　to　go　down　to　the　front　of　the　house；　in　hopes　that；　by　more　closely　reconnoitring　the　party；　he　might　discover　if　his　friend　Darsie　was　among　them。
  The　reader　is　aware　that；　by　doing　so；　he　had　an　opportunity　of　breaking　Darsie's　fall　from　his　side…saddle；　although　his　disguise　and　mask　prevented　his　recognizing　his　friend。　　It　may　be　also　recollected　that　while　Nixon　hurried　Miss　Redgauntlet　and　her　brother　into　the　house；　their　uncle；　somewhat　chafed　at　an　unexpected　and　inconvenient　interruption；　remained　himself　in　parley　with　Fairford；　who　had　already　successively　addressed　him　by　the　names　of　Herries　and　Redgauntlet；　neither　of　which；　any　more　than　the　acquaintance　of　the　young　lawyer；　he　seemed　at　the　moment　willing　to　acknowledge；　though　an　air　of　haughty　indifference；　which　he　assumed；　could　not　conceal　his　vexation　and　embarrassment。
  'If　we　must　needs　be　acquainted；　sir；'　he　said　at　last'for　which　I　am　unable　to　see　any　necessity；　especially　as　I　am　now　particularly　disposed　to　be　privateI　must　entreat　you　will　tell　me　at　once　what　you　have　to　say；　and　permit　me　to　attend　to　matters　of　more　importance
  'My　introduction；'　said　Fairford；　'is　contained　in　this　letter。　（Delivering　that　of　Maxwell。）I　am　convinced　that；　under　whatever　name　it　may　be　your　pleasure　for　the　present　to　be　known；　it　is　into　your　hands；　and　yours　only；　that　it　should　be　delivered。'
  Redgauntlet　turned　the　letter　in　his　handthen　read　the　contents　then　again　looked　upon　the　letter；　and　sternly　observed；　'The　seal　of　the　letter　has　been　broken。　　Was　this　the　case；　sir；　when　it　was　delivered　into　your　hand？'
  Fairford　despised　a　falsehood　as　much　as　any　man；unless；　perhaps；　as　Tom　Turnpenny　might　have　said；　'in　the　way　of　business。'　　He　answered　readily　and　firmly；　'The　seal　was　whole　when　the　letter　was　delivered　to　me　by　Mr。　Maxwell　of　Summertrees。'
  'And　did　you　dare；　sir；　to　break　the　seal　of　a　letter　addressed　to　me？'　　said　Redgauntlet；　not　sorry；　perhaps；　to　pick　a　quarrel　upon　a　point　foreign　to　the　tenor　of　the　epistle。
  'I　have　never　broken　the　seal　of　any　letter　committed　to　my　charge；'　said　Alan；　'not　from　fear　of　those　to　whom　such　letter　might　be　addressed；　but　from　respect　to　myself。'
  'That　is　well　worded；'　said　Redgauntlet；　'and　yet；　young　Mr。　Counsellor；　I　doubt　whether　your　delicacy　prevented　your　reading　my　letter；　or　listening　to　the　contents　as　read　by　some　other　person　after　it　was　opened。'
  'I　certainly　did　hear　the　contents　read　over；'　said　Fairford；　'and　they　were　such　as　to　surprise　me　a　good　deal。'
  'Now　that；'　said　Redgauntlet；　'I　hold　to　be　pretty　much　the　same；　IN　FORO　CONSCIENTIAE；　as　if　you　had　broken　the　seal　yourself。　　I　shall　hold　myself　excused　from　entering　upon　further　discourse　with　a　messenger　so　faithless；　and　you　may　thank　yourself　if　your　journey　has　been　fruitless。'
  'Stay；　sir；'　said　Fairford；　'and　know　that　I　became　acquainted　with　the　contents　of　the　paper　without　my　consentI　may　even　say；　against　my　will；　for　Mr。　Buonaventure'
  'Who？'　　demanded　Redgauntlet；　in　a　wild　and　alarmed　manner'WHOM　was　it　you　named？'
  'Father　Buonaventure；'　said　Alan；'a　Catholic　priest；　as　I　apprehend；　whom　I　saw　at　the　Misses　Arthuret's　house；　called　Fairladies。'
  'Misses　Arthuret！Fairladies！A　Catholic　priest！Father　Buonaventure！'　　said　Redgauntlet；　repeating　the　words　of　Alan　with　astonishment。'Is　it　possible　that　human　rashness　can　reach　such　a　point　of　infatuation？　　Tell　me　the　truth；　I　conjure　you；　sir。　　I　have　the　deepest　interest　to　know　whether　this　is　more　than　an　idle　legend；　picked　up　from　hearsay　about　the　country。　You　are　a　lawyer；　and　know　the　risk　incurred　by　the　Catholic　clergy；　whom　the　discharge　of　their　duty　sends　to　these　bloody　shores。'
  'I　am　a　lawyer；　certainly；'　said　Fairford；　'but　my　holding　such　a　respectable　condition　in　life　warrants　that　I　am　neither　an　informer　nor　a　spy。　　Here　is　sufficient　evidence　that　I　have　seen　Father　Buonaventure。'
  He　put　Buonaventure's　letter　into　Redgauntlet's　hand；　and　watched　his　looks　closely　while　he　read　it。　　'Double…dyed　infatuation！'　he　muttered；　with　looks　in　which　sorrow；　displeasure；　and　anxiety　were　mingled。　　'〃Save　me　from　the　indiscretion　of　my　friends；〃　says　the　Spaniard；　〃I　can　save　myself　from　the　hostility　of　my　enemies。〃'
  He　then　read　the　letter　attentively；　and　for　two　or　three　minutes　was　lost　in　thought；　while　some　purpose　of　importance　seemed　to　have　gathered　and　sit　brooding　upon　his　countenance。　　He　held　up　his　finger　towards　his　satellite；　Cristal　Nixon；　who　replied　to　his　signal　with　a　prompt　nod；　and　with　one　or　two　of　the　attendants　approached　Fairford　in　such　a　manner　as　to　make　him　apprehensive　they　were　about　to　lay　hold　of　him。
  At　this　moment　a　noise　was　heard　from　withinside　of　the　house；　and　presently　rushed　forth　Peter　Peebles；　pursued　by　Nanty　Ewart　with　his　drawn　hanger；　and　the　worthy　Quaker；　who　was　endeavouring　to　prevent　mischief　to　others；　at　some　risk　of　bringing　it　on　himself。
  A　wilder　and　yet　a　more　absurd　figure　can　hardly　be　imagined；　than　that　of　Poor　Peter　clattering　along　as　fast　as　his　huge　boots　would　permit　him；　and　resembling　nothing　so　much　as　a　flying　scarecrow；　while　the　thin　emaciated　form　of　Nanty　Ewart；　with　the　hue　of　death　on　his　cheek；　and　the　fire　of　vengeance　glancing　from　his　eye；　formed　a　ghastly　contrast　with　the　ridiculous　object　of　his　pursuit。
  Redgauntlet　threw　himself　between　them。　　'What　extravagant　folly　is　this？'　　he　said。　　'Put　up　your　weapon；　captain。　　Is　this　a　time　to　indulge　in　drunken　brawls；　or　is　such　a　miserable　object　as　that　a　fitting　antagonist　for　a　man　of　courage？'
  'I　beg　pardon；'　said　the　captain；　sheathing　his　weapon'I　was　a　little　bit　out　of　the　way；　to　be　sure；　but　to　know　the　provocation；　a　man　must　read　my　heart；　and　that　I　hardly　dare　to　do　myself。　　But　the　wretch　is　safe　from　me。　　Heaven　has　done　its　own　vengeance　on　us　both。'
  While　he　spoke　in　this　manner；　Peter　Peebles；　who　had　at　first　crept　behind　Redgauntlet　in　bodily　fear；　began　now　to　reassume　his　spirits。　　Pulling　his　protector　by　the　sleeve；　'Mr。　Herries　Mr。　Herries；'　he　whispered；　eagerly；　'ye　have　done　me　mair　than　ae　gude　turn；　and　if　ye　will　but　do　me　anither　at　this　dead　pinch；　I'll　forgie　the　girded　keg　of　brandy　that　you　and　Captain　Sir　Harry　Redgimlet　drank　out　yon　time。　　Ye　sall　hae　an　ample　discharge　and　renunciation；　and；　though　I　should　see　you　walking　at　the　Cross　of　Edinburgh；　or　standing　at　the　bar　of　the　Court　of　Justiciary；　no　the　very　thumbikins　themselves　should　bring　to　my　memory　that　ever　I　saw　you　in　arms　yon　day。'
  He　accompanied　this　promise　by　pulling　so　hard　at　Redgauntlet's　cloak；　that　he　at　last　turned　round。　　'Idiot！　　speak　in　a　word　what　you　want。'
  'Aweel；　aweel。　　In　a　word；　then；'　said　Peter　Peebles；　'I　have　a　warrant　on　me　to　apprehend　that　man　that　stands　there；　Alan　Fairford　by　name；　and　advocate　by　calling。　　I　bought　it　from　Maister　Justice　Foxley's　clerk；　Maister　Nicholas　Faggot；　wi'　the　guinea　that　you　gied　me。
  'Ha！'　　said　Redgauntlet；　'hast　thou　really　such　a　warrant？　　let　me　see　it。　　Look　sharp　that　no　one　escape；　Cristal　Nixon。'
  Peter　produced　a　huge；　greasy；　leathern　pocketbook；　too　dirty　to　permit　its　original　colour　to　be　visible；　filled　with　scrolls　of　notes；　memorials　to　counsel；　and　Heaven　knows　what　besides。　　From　amongst　this　precious　mass　he　culled　forth　a　paper；　and　placed　it　in　the　hands　of　Redgauntlet；　or　Herries；　as　he　continued　to　call　him；　saying；　at　the　same　time；　'It's　a　formal　and　binding　warrant；　proceeding　on　my　affidavy　made；　that　the　said　Alan　Fairford；　being　lawfully　engaged　in　my　service；　had　slipped　the　tether　and　fled　over　the　Border；　and　was　now　lurking　there　and　thereabouts；　to　elude　and　evite　the　discharg