for the greater ease of Colonel Burke, who was to be the bearer.
This done, Mr. Henry returned to the hall, where he and my old lord
sat all night through with their guest.

A little before dawn I was called and set out with the Colonel. He
would scarce have liked a less responsible convoy, for he was a man
who valued himself; nor could we afford him one more dignified, for
Mr. Henry must not appear with the freetraders. It was a very
bitter morning of wind, and as we went down through the long
shrubbery the Colonel held himself muffled in his cloak.

"Sir," said I, "this is a great sum of money that your friend
requires. I must suppose his necessities to be very great."

"We must suppose so," says he, I thought drily; but perhaps it was
the cloak about his mouth.

"I am only a servant of the family," said I. "You may deal openly
with me. I think we are likely to get little good by him?"

"My dear man," said the Colonel, "Ballantrae is a gentleman of the
most eminent natural abilities, and a man that I admire, and that I
revere, to the very ground he treads on." And then he seemed to me
to pause like one in a difficulty.

"But for all that," said I, "we are likely to get little good by
him?"

"Sure, and you can have it your own way, my dear man," says the
Colonel.