At length he made an attempt to attract the attention of the silent and sullen ponderer.
"Mr.Mowbray"-- no answer--"I was saying, St.Ronan's"-- still no reply.
"I have been thinking about this matter--and"---- "And _what_, sir ?" said St.Ronan's, stopping short, and speaking in a stern tone of voice.
"And, to speak truth, I see little feasibility in the matter ony way; for if ye had the siller in your pocket to-day, it would be a' in the Earl of Etherington's the morn." "Pshaw! you are a fool," answered Mowbray.
"That is not unlikely," said Meiklewham; "but so is Sir Bingo Binks, and yet he's had the better of you, St.Ronan's, this twa or three times." "It is false!--he has not," answered St.Ronan's, fiercely.
"Weel I wot," resumed Meiklewham, "he took you in about the saumon fish, and some other wager ye lost to him this very day." "I tell you once more, Meiklewham, you are a fool, and no more up to my trim than you are to the longitude .-- Bingo is got shy--I must give him a little line, that is all--then I shall strike him to purpose--I am as sure of him as I am of the other--I know the fly they will both rise to--this cursed want of five hundred will do me out of ten thousand!" "If you are so certain of being the bangster--so very certain, I mean, of sweeping stakes,--what harm will Miss Clara come to by your having the use of her siller?
You can make it up to her for the risk ten times told." "And so I can, by Heaven!" said St.Ronan's.

"Mick, you are right, and I am a scrupulous, chicken-hearted fool.

Clara shall have a thousand for her poor five hundred--she shall, by ----.

And I will carry her to Edinburgh for a season, or perhaps to London, and we will have the best advice for her case, and the best company to divert her.

And if they think her a little odd--why, d---- me, I am her brother, and will bear her through it.