But the reports were accepted as conveying a fair and genuine representation of the condition of the disturbed portions of the country; and the Government did not therefore hesitate for a moment to perform what they considered to be an imperious duty. A bill to suspend the Habeas Corpus Act was introduced into the House of Lords on the 21st, passed on the 24th, and at once sent down to the Lower House.

Between these two dates, an event occurred in Glasgow which, besides being a vital link in our story, so affected the imagination of the Commons, that, on the 28th, they passed the Suspension Bill with a precipitation which is seldom the mark of great statesmanship.

What that event was, as well as the incidents by which it was accompanied, we shall now proceed to indicate.

CHAPTER XII.

JOCK'S LAST INTERVIEW WITH THE SPY.

RICHMOND's hopes were rising. Each succeeding day he stepped more vaultingly upon his toes. He saw success coming down the wind, leading fortune. by the hand.

He really believed that he possessed the power to demolish the conspiracy; and his confidence was increased by every new fact which he acquired regarding the operations of the Cromwell Club, and the various other local societies.

The minor official spy, Matt Kyle, since his admission as a member of the club, had regularly reported its proceedings to Messrs. Finlay and Reddie. Richmond, having the benefit of these reports, was latterly enabled to assume towards Campbell and Makane the bearing of one who was acquainted with even the minutiæ of their schemes. This at first startled them; but it had the effect of ultimately making them more open with him—the result upon which the spy-in-chief had calculated.

How, indeed, could they help being open with him? Trade was in a sorry condition; both men were poor and needy, and Richmond was always ready with a word of sympathy and a shilling. Sometimes it was a half-crown; and at any particular pinch, or in the hour of unexpected distress, his benefactions were handsomely increased. Nobody but a sincere friend could perform such noble deeds.

Then his conversation was so kindly and friendly, all for the good of the people, and ever against damaging the people's cause by rash and inconsiderate actions. In meeting after meeting with these men did Richmond insensibly saturate their minds

with ideas which, although favourable to the fullest political reform, were yet inimical to a policy of physical force, which he led them to infer, rather than directly asserted, would destroy indefinitely the chance of achieving any popular rights.

Even Makane, who was sincere to the extent of his moral ability, sometimes saw, though vaguely, that an object might be right, and the instrumentalities employed for compassing it impolitic, if not altogether wrong. But Jock was a wild man in a moral jungle, often getting glimpses of higher things, and continually losing sight of them in the rank undergrowth of his prejudices and passions. He was perpetually losing the lease by which the tenures of life are held in proper working order. To most men the daily spectacle of riches and poverty presents a confounding problem, difficult to understand and difficult of solution. Makane's favourite solution always included an item of cold steel-the hamstringing of the Government, for instance, or some other rampant authority, which he held responsible for the evils that existed. It was only at lucid moments that he could surmount the idea that the Government, the Church, and all forms of authority ought to be compelled to do their duty.

The clergy tell us,' he remarked, in his last conversation with Richmond, that "the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof," and that He's nae

respecter o' persons. Weel, I hope it's a' true; but I canna see how it can be, when He maks favourites o' the rich, divides the earth amang them, and gies naething but the scrapins to the puir. D'ye ca' that justice ?'

'You are sliding on thin ice, John.'

'O, ye may open your een; but ye canna keep us frae thinkin' about things; and forbye, they hae the conscience to tell us that the puir are blessed.'

'Can you not conceive it possible that a man may be blessed with poverty, and cursed with riches?' 'Brawly! To a sumph like Prince Geordie riches can only be a curse. But it's gay queer, Sandy, how sae many o' the sumphs o' creation are cursed wi' what I ca' the blesssings o' wealth, while the best o' chiels aften gang through the worl' barefit, wi' hungry wames, and only the cauld staurs for a blanket at nicht. O, that somebody wad curse me with riches!' 'To be honest with you, John, I doubt it wouldn't be for your good.'

Ay!-how's that?'

'Do you remember the gentleman we used to call "Dandie Davie" ?'

'Ye mean Davie Peacock, wha got a fortune left. him?'

'The same.

You mind how he used to dress and

strut like his namesake? Where is his fortune now?

-and where is Davie himself ?'

'Weel, the gillstoup got the siller, and the devil's got Davie !'

'I hope not.'

'And sae ye think I wad melt fortune like Davie, and gang the same gate? Maybe ye're richt, and maybe ye're wrang; there's nae saying. But there's sma' fears o' onybody gi'en me a chance.'

That is one case,' said Richmond, in which money was altogether a curse, so far as human judgment can discern. Now, take a case of an opposite kind-John Macnab, the great dyer.'

1

'Ay, ay; a'body kens Hielan John, wha cam' doun frae Dramtoddyglen barefittit, bareleggit, barebackit, bareheidit, toom-haundit, no a word o' English, nae Scotch but the word "bawbee," nae freens, nae bagpipes, and only a puir bit fiddle.'

'Fiddle ?'

The finger complent, ye ken-the seesaw business-the scaw-d'ye no see?'

'Jock !'

'Weel, weel, there's nae ill done. A man wi' a fu’ wame, a fu' pouch, a kintra-house, and a coach-andtwa, can afford to staun a bit wype nows and thans.'

'Now that's a case, you must admit, in which absolute poverty seems to have been an absolute blessing. It brought out the genius of the poor Highland boy, who is now, after a brave fight, like an independent chief.'