All I wish is, to ascertain the safety of my friend.

I know that he was rather foolish in once going upon a mere frolic, in disguise, to the neighbourhood of this same gentleman's house.

In his circumstances, Mr.Redgauntlet may have misinterpreted the motives, and considered Darsie Latimer as a spy.

His influence, I believe, is great among the disorderly people you spoke of but now ?' The provost answered with another sagacious shake of his head, that would have done honour to Lord Burleigh in the CRITIC.
'Well, then,' continued Fairford,' is it not possible that, in the mistaken belief that Mr.Latimer was a spy, he may, upon such suspicion, have caused him to be carried off and confined somewhere?
Such things are done at elections, and on occasions less pressing than when men think their lives are in danger from an informer.' 'Mr.Fairford,' said the provost, very earnestly, 'I scarce think such a mistake possible; or if, by any extraordinary chance, it should have taken place, Redgauntlet, whom I cannot but know well, being as I have said my wife's first cousin (fourth cousin, I should say) is altogether incapable of doing anything harsh to the young gentleman--he might send him ower to Ailsay for a night or two, or maybe land him on the north coast of Ireland, or in Islay, or some of the Hebrides; but depend upon it, he is incapable of harming a hair of his head.' 'I am determined not to trust to that, provost,' answered Fairford firmly; 'and I am a good deal surprised at your way of talking so lightly of such an aggression on the liberty of the subject.

You are to consider, and Mr.Herries or Mr.Redgauntlet's friends would do very well also to consider, how it would sound in the ears of an English Secretary of State, that an attainted traitor (for such is this gentleman) has not only ventured to take up his abode in this realm--against the king of which he has been in arms--but is suspected of having proceeded, by open force and violence, against the person of one of the lieges, a young man who is neither without friends nor property to secure his being righted.' The provost looked at the young counsellor with a face in which distrust, alarm, and vexation seemed mingled.