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322 Hatteraick's genius here deserted him—"Der deyvil," he broke out, "how could there be a foot-mark on the ground, when it was a frost as hard as the heart of a Memel log?"

"In the evening, I grant you, Captain Hatteraick, but not in the forenoon—will you favour me with information where you were upon the day you remember so exactly?"

Hatteraick saw his blunder, and again screwed up his hard features for obstinate silence—"Put down his observation, however," said Pleydell to the clerk.

At this moment the door opened, and, much to the surprise of most present, Mr. Gilbert Glossin made his appearance. That worthy gentleman had, by dint of watching and eves-dropping, ascertained that he was not mentioned in Meg Merilies' dying declaration, a circumstance, certainly not owing to her favourable disposition towards him, but to the delay of