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"The poor fellow they brought here this morning was as strong as you, and had as much experience, but he is dead all the same." "I will take care, Jacques; I will go only into the village, and if it will make you feel more easy, Urie shall sleep here at night all the time you are away." He was somewhat relieved by this promise, and his face brightened considerably.
"A man has been slain at least I believe the poor fellow is dead on the highroad. Urie found him; he was not dead then, and had sufficient strength to whisper your name. Urie declares that he said quite distinctly, 'Monsieur Le Blanc! so he had him brought here." "Do we know him?" I asked, now thoroughly roused. "He is a stranger to me.
"You are more or less in Monsieur Cordel's power," I said; "he has strong friends at Court, while I have none, and am unable to protect you." "We will be careful," replied Urie for the others, "but if anything happens to monsieur the rascally lawyer will have need of all his powerful friends." The failure of his plot if it was his plot served to keep the lawyer quiet for a while.
We also looked at the galley or sloop belonging to the fort, which sails upon the Loch, and brings what is wanted for the garrison. Captains Urie and Darippe, of the 15th regiment of foot, breakfasted with us. They had served in America, and entertained Dr Johnson much with an account of the Indians. He said, he could make a very pretty book out of them, were he to stay there.
But" and the old man shook his head scornfully "I don't think his life at the castle will be a long one! A rascally lawyer to be our master, forsooth!" "Well, Pierre," I said, "at present I intend living there myself, and, I do not suppose Cordel will care to keep me company. Send word to Urie that I shall need his services at daylight, and now we will go to bed; Jacques is half asleep already."
"As to that, monsieur, he will do them all the mischief he can now if he gets a chance." The next morning I sent for Urie and the leading men, lectured them on the folly of their proceedings, pointed out the risks they were running, and made them promise to keep their companions from committing any violence in the future.
"There's a frown on the brow o' the Urie, and his face is hidden from me, and listen to the grumbling and flyting o' the burn. They're a' vexed, Hamish, but we're to have company down through the glen, for yonder will be Sandy Nicol driving his stots to the bay."
Urie had fetched the curé, who had bandaged his hurts, but the worthy priest shook his head at me as if to say, "There was really little use in doing it." "Foul work!" I exclaimed; "the man must have made a desperate struggle for life. Where did you find him, Urie?" "Just outside the little wood, monsieur. The ground all around was ploughed up by horses' hoofs, and stained with blood.
A great hush fell across us, and we gazed at each other blankly. "It is too late," said the curé; "he has carried his secret to the grave." "Is he dead?" "Dead, monsieur." "We must make inquiries," I murmured. "Urie shall show us the place where he found the body. Come, Jacques, we can do no good here." "I will follow in a few minutes, monsieur.
His dress was that of an ordinary trooper; he wore a long knife at his girdle, and Urie had placed his sword, which was broken and stained with blood, by his side. The mark of an old scar disfigured his left cheek, and his chest showed that he had been wounded more than once in his life. Jacques was certainly right in saying he was no peaceable citizen.
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