, and mounted on a horse known to have belonged to
Glennaquoich, and bearing on his person letters from his family expressing high
rancour against the house of Brunswick, and a copy of verses in praise of one
Wogan, who abjured the service of the Parliament to join the Highland
insurgents, when in arms to restore the house of Stuart, with a body of English
cavalry - the very counterpart of his own plot - and summed up with a Go thou
and do likewise, from that loyal subject, and most safe and peaceable character,
Fergus Mac-Ivor of Glennaquoich, Vich Ian Vohr, and so forth. And, lastly,«
continued Major Melville, warming in the detail of his arguments, »where do we
find this second edition of Cavalier Wogan? Why, truly, in the very track most
proper for execution of his design, and pistoling the first of the king's
subjects who ventures to question his intentions.«
    Mr. Morton prudently abstained from argument, which he perceived would only
harden the magistrate in his opinion, and merely asked how he intended to
dispose of the prisoner?
    »It is a question of some difficulty, considering the state of the country,«
said Major Melville.
    »Could you not detain him (being such a gentleman-like young man) here in
your own house, out of harm's way, till this storm blow over?«
    »My good friend,« said Major Melville, »neither your house nor mine will be
long out of harm's way, even were it legal to confine him here. I have just
learned that the commander-in-chief, who marched into the Highlands to seek out
and disperse the insurgents, has declined giving them battle at Corryerick, and
marched on northward with all the disposable force of Government to Inverness,
John-o'-Groat's House, or the devil, for what I know, leaving the road to the
Low Country open and undefended to the Highland army.«
    »Good God!« said the clergyman. »Is the man a coward, a traitor, or an
idiot?«
    »None of the three, I believe,« answered Melville. »Sir John has the
common-place courage of a common soldier, is honest enough, does what he is
commanded, and understands what is told him, but is as fit to act for himself in
circumstances of importance, as I, my dear parson, to occupy your pulpit.«
    This important public intelligence naturally diverted the discourse from
Waverley for some time; at length, however,
