The Waverley novels, by Sir Walter Scott, complete in 12 vol., printed from the latest English ed., embracing the author's last corrections, prefaces & notes.

THE HEART OF MID-LOTHIAN. 511
number. I resolved to requite his generosity, and even your sister's safety
became a secondary consideration with me for the time. To effect Wilson's liberation was my principal object, and I doubted not to find the
means.
"Yet I did not forget Effie neither. The bloodhounds of the law were so
close after me, that I dared not trust myself near any of my old haunts, but
old Murdockson met me by appointment, and informed me that your sister
had happily been delivered of a boy. I charged the hag to keep her patient's
mind easy, and let her want for nothing that money could purchase, and I
retreated to Fife, where, among my old associates of Wilson's gang, I hid
myself in those places of concealment where the men engaged in that desperate trade are used to find security for themselves and their uncustomed
goods. Men who are disobedient both to human and divine laws are not
always insensible to the claims of courage and generosity. We were assured
that the mob of Edinburgh, strongly moved with the hardship of Wilson's
situation, and the gallantry of his conduct, would back any bold attempt
that might be made to rescue him even from the foot of the gibbet. Desperate as the attempt seemed, upon my declaring myself ready to lead the
onset on the guard, I found no want of followers who engaged to stand by
me, and returned to Lothian, soon followed, by some steady associates, prepared to act whenever the occasion might require.
"I have no doubt I should have rescued him from the very noose that
dangled over his head," he continued with animation, which seemed a flash
of the interest which he had taken in such exploits; "but amongst other
precautions, the magistrates had taken one, suggested, as we afterwards
learned, by the unhappy wretch Porteous, which effectually disconcerted
my measures. They anticipated, by half an hour, the ordinary period for
execution; and, as it had been resolved amongst us, that for fear of observation from the officers of justice, we should not show ourselves upon the
street until the time of action approached, it -followed, that all was over
before our attempt at a rescue commenced. It did commence, however,
and I gained the scaffold and cut the rope with my own hand. It was too
late! The bold, stout-hearted, generous criminal was no more -and vengeance was all that remained to us - a vengeance, as I then thought, doubly
due from my hand, to whom Wilson had given life and liberty when he
could as easily have secured his own."
" 0, sir," said Jeanie, " did the Scripture never come into your mind,'Vengeance is mine, and I will repay it?"'
"Scripture I Why, I had not opened a Bible for five years," answered
Staunton.
" Wae's me, sirs," said Jeanie -" and a minister's son too!"
"It is natural for you to say so; yet do not interrupt me, but let me
finish my most accursed history. The beast, Porteous, who kept firing on
the people long after it had ceased to be necessary, became the object of
their hatred for having overdone his duty, and of mine for having done it
too well. We-that is, I and the other determined friends of Wilson
-resolved to be avenged; but caution was necessary. I thought I had been
marked by one of the officers, and therefore continued to lurk about the
vicinity of Edinburgh, but without daring to venture within the walls. At
length I visited, at the hazard of my life, the place.where I hoped to find my
future wife and my son - they were both gone. Dame Murdockson informed
me, that so soon as Effie heard of the miscarriage of the attempt to rescue
Wilson, and the hot pursuit after me, she fell into -a brain fever; and that
being one day obliged to go out on some necessary business and leave her
alone, she had taken' that opportunity to escape, and she had not seen her
since. I loaded her with reproaches, to which she listened with. the most
provoking and callous composure; for it is one of her attributes, that,
violent and fierce as she is upon most occasions, there are some in which