Page:Rob Roy, the celebrated Highland freebooter, or, Memoirs of the Osbaldistone family (2).pdf/6

 business; but when he found her determined to remain till it was fully settled, he left them; and the young lady conducted Frank into the house. Frank had followed Miss Vernon up stairs to the door of the dinning-room, where she left him to find a servant to introduce her; but, being tired with waiting, Frank opened the door, and told the justice that his name was Osbaldistone, and that he badhad [sic] come to inquire into a charge, which some scoundrel had laid against him for alledged robbery. It so happened that Morris was present at dinner, and the Justice inquired of him, whether this was the gentleman he implicated? Morris, alarmed at Frank's resolute appearance, replied, that "he charged nothing against the gentleman," at the same time whispered, that he withdrew his accusation against Frank, as he did not know "how many rogues might be in the house to back him." Miss Vernon now entered the room, where she was kindly received by the old Justice, and telling him her errand, requested to hear the charge against Frank. It stated, that the declarant, Mr. Morris, had been attacked by two highwaymen in masks, who took his portmanteau from him, and that he heard one of them call the other Osbaldistone, whom he suspected to be the same person who accompanied him to Darlington. Frank protested against the evidence, as incompetent to prove that he was the robber, and was offering to produce arguments to shew his innocence of the charge, when a servant entered and told the Justice that a strange gentleman wished to see him.

This stranger was Mr. Campbell, the cattle-dealer, whom Morris and Frank had met at Darlington, who, having heard that Frank was unjustly accused, had come to relieve him from the prosecution. He stated, that Morris accompanied him several miles on the road towards Scotland, where he was attacked by two highwaymen, who carried of his portmanteau; but that one of them, whom his companion addressed by the name of Osbadistone, was a much shorter and thicker man, and had a different complexion and visage from the young gentleman present. After delivering this deposition, he asked Morris if he would not forego his prosecution of Mr. Osbaldistone; to which Morris consented, and Campbell offering to conduct him safely home, they departed together. Matters being thus settled, Miss Vernon and Frank also took leave of 'Squire Inglewood, who was happy in having got rid of this troublesome business.

Next day, at breakfast, Sir Hildebrand congratulated Frank on his escape, and advised him to be more cautious of his future conduct. Frank could not help expressing indignation at the suspicions which his uncle entertained, and Rashleigh was apparently displeased at his father also; but the old gentleman looking stedfastly at Rashleigh, told him "he was a sly loon," but that "two faces under one head was not true heraldry," and