Page:History of James Allan.pdf/7

 breach of hospitality, rode after him, accompanied by a constable. Allan finding his pursuers gaining upon him, fled to a cleft in a rock, 40 feet deep, and 14 wide, and by a bold leap, reached the opposite side; when the farmer drew his horse up, saying, “Let us return, for it is clear the devil has helped the fellow.” Allan again enlisted, and in an attempt to desert, he sprained his foot, and was carried prisoner in a cart to Alnwick. The disgrace of being thus dragged into a place where he had been so respected, was most humiliating to his feelings. By the influence of the Countess he was liberated, and again restored to favour.—But falling again into his old vicious habits of gambling and drinking, he received a peremptory order to quit the castle within one hour. Allan immediately took leave of the domestics, who generously presented him with six guineas, which was very acceptable as he had only a few shillings.

Allan now travelled northward, and stopping at a small inn, in Jedburgh, he contrived at cards to swindle a farmer’s son out of 30 guineas, and knowing that the transaction would not bear investigation, he thought it prudent to move forward. Arriving at Moffat, he met a Gipsy girl, who had been mending china, and telling fortunes. Allan accompanied her home, when, after a few hours’ acquaintance, they agreed to be united, and were immediately pledged in the presence of a gang of muggers, who were encamped near the place. His new spouse gave him to understand that she was no mean personage, being allied by blood to Will Marshall, the celebrated Gipsy chief, and proposed to visit him. The chief received them with a hearty welcome; and on being told “that Allan could play fu’ weel on the sma’ pipes,” he asked for a “swatch o’ his skill.” Allan knowing he was in the presence of royalty, he exerted himself in playing “Felton Loaning;” but, before the tune was half done, Will rose from his seat, and taking Allan by the hand, said, “You’re weel worth your room—there’s nae music pleases me like the pipes.” Allan having continued some time with the gang, from considerations of personal safety was obliged to decamp. Allan had been previously presented with 16 guineas by a dying Gipsy friend, and having preserved most of the plunder gained at Jedburgh, was well stocked with cash—yet such was his mean and covetous disposition, that he walked ten miles in a dark night in order to steal his wife’s pockets, by