Page:Rob Roy, the celebrated Highland freebooter, or, Memoirs of the Osbaldistone family (2).pdf/12

 ill, and had thrown him into jail, on account of his being a partner of the London firm: that, in these deplorable circumstances, he had sent an account of his situation to Bailie Nicol Jarvie, a Glasgow merchant, with whom Mr. Osbaldistone sometimes did business; but that he had no sanguine expectations from that quarter.

However, in this Owen was agreeably disappointed; for, although the Bailie was going to bed when the letter came, he immediately dressed himself, and set out for the prison, where he arrived shortly after Frank's introduction to Owen. The noise which the Bailie made at the door alarmed Frank's guide, who attempted to make his escape; but the worthy magistrate prevented him, by giving orders to the captain of the jail, when he came in, to lock the door and allow no one to pass upon his peril. The stranger entered their apartment before the Bailie; and the latter, after some conversation with Owen on the affairs of Mr. Osbaldistone, and blaming him for extending his speculations so far, produced his own ledger, from which it appeared that the London house owed him also a large balance. Nevertheless, the Bailie told Owen, that, as it was impossible for him to redd up the business in prison, he should find caution for his appearance, and then he would be set at liberty; but, as Owen said he knew of no one to whom he could apply, the Bailie generously offered to become bail himself.

While conversing with Owen, the Bailie had taken no notice of Frank and his conductor; but, when about to leave the apartment, he examined the stranger, and then exclamed, "Ye robber, ye cateran, ye born deevil, that ye are, can this be you?" "E'en as you say," replied he. The Bailie continued his abuse, and even added threats of punishment; but the stranger told him, calmly, that he would never put them in execution, for the sake of auld langsyne, for their relationship, and for fear of the consequences. The honest Bailie was reproaching him for his acts of theft-boot, black-mail, spreaghs, and gill-ravaging, when the stranger requested he would not speak more on these subjects, and his counting-room should not be cleaned out when the Gillan-a-naillie came to redd up the Glasgow buiths." The Bailie consented not to inform against him, and then pointing to Frank, inquired if that was not some gill-ravager he had listed into his service? Owen said it was Mr. Francis Osbaldistone, the only son of his worthy master. The Bailie observed, that he had heard of the hopeful youth before; and then reproached Frank for renouncing the mercantile profession to become a poet and a gentleman, and asked if his poetry would procure him five thousand pounds to answer his father's bills, which would be due in ten days?" Frank was displeased at the Bailie's taunt; but, while musing on what he heard, he hastily drew out a letter