The man's face expressed rather knavery than vice, and a disposition to sharpness, cunning, and roguery, more than the traces of stormy and indulged passions.

His sharp quick black eyes, acute features, ready sardonic smile, promptitude and effrontery, gave him altogether what is called among the vulgar a _knowing_ look, which generally implies a tendency to knavery.

At a fair or market, you could not for a moment have doubted that he was a horse-jockey, intimate with all the tricks of his trade; yet, had you met him on a moor, you would not have apprehended any violence from him.

His dress was also that of a horse-dealer--a close-buttoned jockey-coat, or wrap-rascal, as it was then termed, with huge metal buttons, coarse blue upper stockings, called boot-hose because supplying the place of boots, and a slouched hat.

He only wanted a loaded whip under his arm and a spur upon one heel, to complete the dress of the character he seemed to represent.
"Your name is James Ratcliffe ?" said the magistrate.
"Ay--always wi' your honour's leave." "That is to say, you could find me another name if I did not like that one ?" "Twenty to pick and choose upon, always with your honour's leave," resumed the respondent.
"But James Ratcliffe is your present name ?--what is your trade ?" "I canna just say, distinctly, that I have what ye wad ca' preceesely a trade." "But," repeated the magistrate, "what are your means of living--your occupation ?" "Hout tout--your honour, wi' your leave, kens that as weel as I do," replied the examined.
"No matter, I want to hear you describe it," said the examinant.
"Me describe!--and to your honour!--far be it from Jemmie Ratcliffe," responded the prisoner.
"Come, sir, no trifling--I insist on an answer." "Weel, sir," replied the declarant, "I maun make a clean breast, for ye see, wi' your leave, I am looking for favour--Describe my occupation, quo' ye ?--troth it will be ill to do that, in a feasible way, in a place like this--but what is't again that the aught command says ?" "Thou shalt not steal," answered the magistrate.
"Are you sure o' that ?" replied the accused.--"Troth, then, my occupation, and that command, are sair at odds, for I read it, thou _shalt_ steal; and that makes an unco difference, though there's but a wee bit word left out." "To cut the matter short, Ratcliffe, you have been a most notorious thief," said the examinant.
"I believe Highlands and Lowlands ken that, sir, forby England and Holland," replied Ratcliffe, with the greatest composure and effrontery.
"And what d'ye think the end of your calling will be ?" said the magistrate.
"I could have gien a braw guess yesterday--but I dinna ken sae weel the day," answered the prisoner.
"And what would you have said would have been your end, had you been asked the question yesterday ?" "Just the gallows," replied Ratcliffe, with the same composure.
"You are a daring rascal, sir," said the magistrate; "and how dare you hope times are mended with you to-day ?" "Dear, your honour," answered Ratcliffe, "there's muckle difference between lying in prison under sentence of death, and staying there of ane's ain proper accord, when it would have cost a man naething to get up and rin awa--what was to hinder me from stepping out quietly, when the rabble walked awa wi' Jock Porteous yestreen ?--and does your honour really think I staid on purpose to be hanged ?" "I do not know what you may have proposed to yourself; but I know," said the magistrate, "what the law proposes for you, and that is, to hang you next Wednesday eight days." "Na, na, your honour," said Ratcliffe firmly, "craving your honour's pardon, I'll ne'er believe that till I see it.