name your name, sir; and it's my belief the Advocate is still so
much to be sympathised with that he doesnae ken of your existence."

I saw I had got to the wrong side of the man.

"There's a braw day coming for him, then," said I, "for he'll have
to learn of it on the deaf side of his head no later than to-
morrow, when I call on him."

"When ye CALL on him!" repeated Mr. Stewart. "Am I daft, or are
you! What takes ye near the Advocate!"

"O, just to give myself up," said I.

"Mr. Balfour," he cried, "are ye making a mock of me?"

"No, sir," said I, "though I think you have allowed yourself some
such freedom with myself. But I give you to understand once and
for all that I am in no jesting spirit."

"Nor yet me," says Stewart. "And I give yon to understand (if
that's to be the word) that I like the looks of your behaviour less
and less. You come here to me with all sorts of propositions,
which will put me in a train of very doubtful acts and bring me
among very undesirable persons this many a day to come. And then
you tell me you're going straight out of my office to make your
peace with the Advocate! Alan's button here or Alan's button
there, the four quarters of Alan wouldnae bribe me further in."

"I would take it with a little more temper," said I, "and perhaps