Yes--yes--you're right; there can be no hurt in borrowing five hundred of her for a few days, when such profit may be made on't, both for her and me .-- Here, fill the glasses, my old boy, and drink success to it, for you are right." "Here is success to it, with all my heart," answered Meiklewham, heartily glad to see his patron's sanguine temper arrive at this desirable conclusion, and yet willing to hedge in his own credit; "but it is _you_ are right, and not _me_, for I advise nothing except on your assurances, that you can make your ain of this English earl, and of this Sir Bingo--and if you can but do that, I am sure it would be unwise and unkind in ony ane of your friends to stand in your light." "True, Mick, true," answered Mowbray.--"And yet dice and cards are but bones and pasteboard, and the best horse ever started may slip a shoulder before he get to the winning-post--and so I wish Clara's venture had not been in such a bottom .-- But, hang it, care killed a cat--I can hedge as well as any one, if the odds turn up against me--so let us have the cash, Mick." "Aha! but there go two words to that bargain--the stock stands in my name, and Tam Turnpenny the banker's, as trustees for Miss Clara--Now, get you her letter to us, desiring us to sell out and to pay you the proceeds, and Tam Turnpenny will let you have five hundred pounds _instanter_, on the faith of the transaction; for I fancy you would desire a' the stock to be sold out, and it will produce more than six hundred, or seven hundred pounds either--and I reckon you will be selling out the whole--it's needless making twa bites of a cherry." "True," answered Mowbray; "since we must be rogues, or something like it, let us make it worth our while at least; so give me a form of the letter, and Clara shall copy it--that is, if she consents; for you know she can keep her own opinion as well as any other woman in the world." "And that," said Meiklewham, "is as the wind will keep its way, preach to it as ye like.

But if I might advise about Miss Clara--I wad say naething mair than that I was stressed for the penny money; for I mistake her muckle if she would like to see you ganging to pitch and toss wi' this lord and tither baronet for her aunt's three per cents--I ken she has some queer notions--she gies away the feck of the dividends on that very stock in downright charity." "And I am in hazard to rob the poor as well as my sister!" said Mowbray, filling once more his own glass and his friend's.

"Come, Mick, no sky-lights--here is Clara's health--she is an angel--and I am--what I will not call myself, and suffer no other man to call me .-- But I shall win this time--I am sure I shall, since Clara's fortune depends upon it." "Now, I think, on the other hand," said Meiklewham, "that if any thing should chance wrang, (and Heaven kens that the best-laid schemes will gang ajee,) it will be a great comfort to think that the ultimate losers will only be the poor folk, that have the parish between them and absolute starvation--if your sister spent her ain siller, it would be a very different story." "Hush, Mick--for God's sake, hush, mine honest friend," said Mowbray; "it is quite true; thou art a rare counsellor in time of need, and hast as happy a manner of reconciling a man's conscience with his necessities, as might set up a score of casuists; but beware, my most zealous counsellor and confessor, how you drive the nail too far--I promise you some of the chaffing you are at just now rather abates my pluck .-- Well--give me your scroll--I will to Clara with it--though I would rather meet the best shot in Britain, with ten paces of green sod betwixt us." So saying, he left the apartment..