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 SURGEON'S DAUGHTER. 503
as the sick in body. But it is time we settle our wager. You betted your
reputation, which remains with you, increased by all the credit due to your
eminent success, against a thousand gold mohrs, the value of which you
will find in that pocketbook."
"General Witherington," said Hartley, "you are wealthy, and entitled
to be generous - I am poor, and not entitled to decline whatever may be,
even in a liberal sense, a compensation for my professional attendance. But
there is a bound to extravagance, both in giving and accepting; and I must
not hazard the newly acquired reputation with which you flatter me, by
giving room to have it said, that I fleeced the parents, when their feelings
were all afloat with anxiety for their children. -Allow me to divide this
large sum; one half I will thankfully retain, as a most liberal recompense
for my labour; and if you still think you owe me any thing, let me have it
in the advantage of your good opinion and countenance."
"If I acquiesce in your proposal, Doctor Hartley," said the General,
reluctantly receiving back a part of the contents of the pocketbook, " it
is because I hope to serve you with my interest, even better than with my
purse."
" And indeed, sir," replied Hartley, " it was upon your interest that I am
just about to make a small claim."
The General and his lady spoke both in the same breath, to assure him
his boon was granted before asked.
"I am not so sure of that," said Hartley; "for it respects a point on
which I have heard say, that your Excellency is rather inflexible -the discharge of a recruit."
" My duty makes me so," replied the General —" You know the sort of
fellows that we are obliged to content ourselves with-they get drunk-grow
pot-valiant-enlist over-night, and repent next morning. If I am to dismiss
all those who pretend to have been trepanned, we should have few volunteers remain behind. Every one has some idle story of the promises of a
swaggering sergeant Kite -It is impossible to attend to them. But let me
hear yours, however."
" Mine is a very singular case. The party has been robbed of a thousand
pounds."
"A recruit for this service possessing a thousand pounds! My dear
Doctor, depend upon it, the fellow has gulled you. Bless my heart,
would a man who had a thousand pounds think of enlisting as a private
sentinel?"
" He had no such thoughts," answered Hartley. " He was persuaded by
the rogue whom he trusted, that he was to have a commission."
" Then his friend must have been Tom Hillary, or the devil; for no other
could possess so much cunning and impudence. He will certainly find his
way to the gallows at last. Still this story of the thousand pounds seems a
touch even beyond Tom Hilltry. What reason have you to think that this
fellow ever had such a sum of money?"
" I have the best reason to know it for certain," answered Hartley; " he
and I served our time together, under the same excellent master; and when
he came of age, not liking the profession which he had studied, and obtaining possession of his little fortune, he was deceived by the promises of this
same Ilillarv."
" Who has had him locked up in our well-ordered hospital yonder?" said
the General.
"Even so, please your Excellency," replied Hartley; "not, I think, to
cure him of any complaint, but to give him the opportunity of catching one,
which would silence all enquiries."
"The matter shall be closely looked into. But how miserably careless
the young man's friends must have been to let a raw lad go into the world
with such a companion and guide as Tom Hillary, and such a sum as a