Chapter 15

LAWSON, HUNT

LAWSON (_entering_). Step your way in, Officer. (_At wing._) Mr. Carfrae, give a chair to yon decent wife that cam' in wi' me. Nae news?

A VOICE WITHOUT. Naething, sir.

LAWSON (_sitting_). Weel, Officer, and what can I do for you?

HUNT. Well, sir, as I was saying, I've an English warrant for the apprehension of one Jemmy Rivers, _alias_ Captain Starlight, now at large within your jurisdiction.

LAWSON. That'll be the highwayman?

HUNT. That same, Mr. Procurator-Fiscal. The Captain's given me a hard hunt of it this time. I dropped on his marks at Huntingdon, but he was away North, and I had to up and after him. I heard of him all along the York road, for he's a light hand on the pad, has Jemmy, and leaves his mark. I missed him at York by four-and-twenty hours, and lost him for as much more. Then I picked him up again at Carlisle, and we made a race of it for the Border; but he'd a better nag, and was best up in the road; so I had to wait till I ran him to earth in Edinburgh here and could get a new warrant. So here I am, sir. They told me you were an active sort of gentleman, and I'm an active man myself. And Sir John Fielding, Mr. Procurator-Fiscal, he's an active gentleman likewise, though he's blind as a _h_image, and he desired his compliments to you (sir, and said that between us he thought we'd do the trick).

LAWSON. Ay, he'll be a fine man, Sir John. Hand me owre your papers, Hunt, and you'll have your new warrant _quam primum_. And see here, Hunt, ye'll aiblins have a while to yoursel', and an active man, as ye say ye are, should aye be grinding grist. We're sair forfeuchen wi' our burglaries. _Non constat de personâ._ We canna get a grip o' the delinquents. Here is the _Hue and Cry_. Ye see there is a guid two hundred pounds for ye.

HUNT. Well, Mr. Procurator-Fiscal (I ain't a rich man, and two hundred's two hundred. Thereby, sir), I don't mind telling you I've had a bit of a worry at it already. You see, Mr. Procurator-Fiscal, I had to look into a ken to-night about the Captain, and an old cock always likes to be sure of his walk; so I got one of your Scots officers--him as was so polite as to show me round to Mr. Brodie's--to give me full particulars about the 'ouse, and the flash companions that use it. In his list I drop on the names of two old lambs of my own; and I put it to you, Mr. Procurator-Fiscal, as a gentleman as knows the world, if what's a black sheep in London is likely or not to be keeping school in Edinburgh?

LAWSON. _Coelum non animum._ A just observe.

HUNT. I'll give it a thought, sir, and see if I can't kill two birds with one stone. Talking of which, Mr. Procurator-Fiscal, I'd like to have a bit of a confab with that nice young woman as came to pay her rent.

LAWSON. Hunt, that's a very decent woman.

HUNT. And a very decent woman may have mighty queer pals, Mr. Procurator-Fiscal. Lord love you, sir, I don't know what the profession would do without 'em!

LAWSON. Ye're vera richt, Hunt. An active and a watchful officer, I'll send her in till ye.