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.

504 WAVER1LEY NOVELS.
Mr. Staunton spoke to her with great mildness. He observed, that,
although her appearance at church had been uncommon, and in strange,
and, he must add, discreditable society, and calculated, upon the whole,
to disturb the congregation during divine worship, he wished, nevertheless,
to hear her own account of herself before taking any steps which his' duty
might seem to demand. He was a justice of peace, he informed her, as well
as a clergyman.
"His honour" (for she would not say his reverence) "was very civil and
kind," was all that poor Jeanie could at first bring out.
" Who are you, young woman?" said the clergyman, more peremptorily"and what do you do in this country, and in such company?-We allow no
strollers or vagrants here."
" I am not a vagrant or a stroller, sir," said Jeanie, a little roused by the
supposition. "' I am a decent Scots lass, travelling through the land on my
own business and my own expenses; and I was so unhappy as to fall in
with bad company, and was stopped a' night on my journey. And this puir
creature, who is something light-headed, let me out in the morning."
" Bad company!" said the clergyman. " I am afraid, young woman, you
have not been sufficiently anxious to avoid them."
"Indeed, sir," returned Jeanie, "I have been brought up to shun evil
communication. But these wicked people were thieves, and stopped me by
violence and mastery."
"Thieves!" said Mr. Staunton; "then you charge them with robbery,
I suppose?"
" No, sir; they did not take so much as a boddle from me," answered
Jeanie; "nor did they use me ill, otherwise than by confining me."
The clergyman inquired into the particulars of her adventure, which she
told him from point to point.
" This is an extraordinary, and not a very probable tale, young woman,"
resumed Mr. Staunton. "Here has been, according'to your account, a
great violence committed without any adequate motive. Are you aware
of the law of this country-that if you lodge this charge, you will be bound
over to prosecute this gang?"
Jeanie did not understand him, and he explained, that the English law,
in addition to the inconvenience sustained by persons who have robbed or
injured, has the goodness to intrust to them the care and the expense of appearing as prosecutors.
Jeanie said, "that her business at London was express; all she wanted
was, that any gentleman - would, out of Christian charity, protect her
to some town where she could hire horses and a guide; and finally," she
thought, " it would be her father's mind that she was not free to give testimony in an English court of justice, as the land was not under a direct
gospel dispensation."
Mr. Staunton stared a little, and asked if her father was a Quaker.
"God forbid, sir," said Jeanie —"He is nae schismatic nor sectary,
nor ever treated for sic black commodities as theirs, and that's weel kend
o' him."
"And what is his name, pray?" said Mr. Staunton.
"David Deans, sir, the cowfeeder at Saint Leonard's Crags, near Edinburgh."
A deep groan from the anteroom prevented the Rector from replying,
and, exclaiming, "Good God! that unhappy boy!" he left Jeanie alone,
and hastened into the outer apartment.
Some noise and bustle was heard, but no one entered the library for thebest part of an hour.