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Rufus Dawes planted his feet firmly on the ground, took fierce grasp on the staves, and drew in his breath. Macklewain spread the garments of the two men upon the ground, and, placing Kirkland upon them, turned to watch this new phase in the morning's amusement.
Mind, I admit nothing against Captain Burgess, whom I have always considered a most worthy and zealous officer; but, supposing your charge to be true, can you prove it?" "Yes. If the witnesses speak the truth." "Who are they?" "Myself, Dr. Macklewain, the constable, and two prisoners, one of whom was flogged himself. He will speak the truth, I believe. The other man I have not much faith in."
My father, Colonel Leslie of Glenlyon, was a gentleman, and it was right that I should wield a sword, and James Macklewain, who had fought in the French wars and knew my father, was good enough to teach me. I may say that my guardian knew nothing of this." "No, indeed," Andrew said. "I never so much as dreamt of it. If I had done so he and I would have talked together to a purpose."
"Very well; then there is only a prisoner and Dr. Macklewain; for if there has been foul play the convict-constable will not accuse the authorities. Moreover, the doctor does not agree with you." "No?" cried North, amazed. "No. You see, then, my dear sir, how necessary it is not to be hasty in matters of this kind.
In a stone-yard was a little group of persons Troke, Burgess, Macklewain, Kirkland, and Rufus Dawes. Three wooden staves, seven feet high, were fastened together in the form of a triangle. The structure looked not unlike that made by gypsies to boil their kettles. To this structure Kirkland was bound.
So a neatly written statement of the occurrence was appended to the ledgers in which the names of William Tomkins and Thomas Grove were entered. Macklewain held an inquest, and nobody troubled about them any more. Why should they? The prisons of London were full of such Tommys and Billys. Sylvia passed through the rest of her journey in a dream of terror.
"You are wrong there, bailie," one of the constables said; "for I have seen him many a time going into the school of James Macklewain, and I have heard a comrade say, who knows James, that the lad can handle a sword with the best of them." "I will admit at once," Ronald said, "that I have gone to Macklewain's school and learned fencing of him.
The boy did not cry; but Macklewain saw his hands clutch the staves tightly, and the muscles of his naked arms quiver. "Tew!" "That's better," said Burgess. The third blow sounded as though it had been struck upon a piece of raw beef, and the crimson turned purple. "My God!" said Kirkland, faintly, and bit his lips.
"Tried to bolt, eh! Must stop that. Fifty lashes, Troke. Tell Macklewain to be ready or stay, I'll tell him myself I'll break the young devil's spirit, blank him." "Yes, sir," said Troke. "Good evening, sir." "Troke pick out some likely man, will you? That last fellow you had ought to have been tied up himself. His flogging wouldn't have killed a flea."
"Confound it another of my best men," grumbled Burgess. "Macklewain, have a glass of wine." But Macklewain was tired, and wanted to get home. "I must also be thinking of repose," said Meekin; "the journey though most enjoyable has fatigued me." "Come on, then," said North. "Our roads lie together, doctor." "You won't have a nip of brandy before you start?" asked Burgess. "No?
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