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.

378 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
thing might be dune - ilka ane to be liable for their ain input - I wadina
like to see the case fa' through without being pled —it wadna be creditable,
for a' that daft whig body says."
"I'll- I will - yes," (assuming fortitude,) " I will be answerable," said
Dumbiedikes, "for a score of punds sterling."-And he was silent, staring
in astonishment at finding himself capable of such unwonted resolution
and excessive generosity.
"God Almighty bless ye, Laird!" said Jeanie, in a transport of gratitude.
" Ye may ca' the twenty punds thretty," said Dumbiedikes, looking bashfully away from her, and towards Saddletree.
"That will do bravely," said Saddletree, rubbing his hands; "and ye
sail hae a' my skill and knowledge to gar the siller gang far - I'll tape it
out weel -I ken how to gar the birkies tak short fees, and be glad'o' them
too -it's only garring them trow ye hae twa or three cases of importance
coming on, and they'll work cheap to get custom. Let me alane for whillywhaing an advocate:- it's nae sin to get as muckle frae them for our'siller
as we can - after a', it's but the wind o' their mouth- it costs them naething; whereas, in my wretched occupation of a saddler, horse-milliner,
and harness-maker, we are out uinconsciable sums just for barkened hides
and leather."
" Can I be of no use?" said Butler. " My means, alas! are only worth
the black coat I wear; but I am young - I owe much to the family - Can
I do nothing?"
" Ye can help to collect evidence, sir," said Saddletree; "if we could but
find ony ane to say she had gien the least hint o' her condition, she wad be
brought aff wi' a wat finger -Mr. Crossmyloof tell'd me sac. The crown,
says he, canna be craved to prove a positive - was't a positive or a negative
they couldna be ca'd to prove? - it was the tane or the tither o' them, I am
sure, and it maksna muckle matter whilk. Wherefore, says he, the libel
maun be redargued by the panel proving her defences. And it canna be
done otherwise."
"But the fact, sir," argued Butler, " the fact that this poor girl has borne
a child; surely the crown lawyers must prove that?" said Butler.
Saddletree paused a moment, while the visage of Dumbiedikes, which
traversed, as if it had been placed on a pivot, from the one spokesman to
the other, assumed a more blithe expression.
"Ye-ye —ye-es," said Saddletree, after some grave hesitation; "unquestionably that is a thing to be proved, as the court will more fully declare
by an interlocutor of relevancy in common form; but I fancy that job's
done already, for she has confessed her guilt."
"Confessed the murder?" exclaimed Jeanie, with a scream that made
them all start.
"No, I didna say that," replied Bartoline. "But she confessed bearing
the babe."
" And what became of it, then?" said Jeanie, " for not a word could I
get from her but bitter sighs and tears."
" She says it was taken away from her by the woman in whose house it
was born, and who assisted her at the time."
" And who was that woman?" said Butler. " Surely by her means the
truth might be discovered.- Who was she? I will fly to her directly."
"I wish," said Dumbiedikes, "I' were as young and as supple as you,
and had the gift of the gab as weel."
"Who is she?" again reiterated Butler impatiently. - "Who could that
woman be?"
" Ay, wha kens that but hersell," said Saddletree; " she deponed farther,
and declined to answer that interrogatory."
"Then to herself will I instantly go," said Butler; "farewell, Jeanie;"