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dressed to himself. The earliest in date was a kind and gentle remonstrance for neglect of the writer's advice, respecting the disposal of his time during his leave of absence, the renewal of which he reminded Captain Waverley would speedily expire. « Indeed," the letter proceeded, « had it been otherwise, the news from abroad, and my instructions from the War-office, must have compelled me to recall it, as there is great danger, since the disaster in Flanders, both of foreign invasion and insurrection among the disaffected at home. I therefore entreat you will repair, as soon as possible, to the head-quarters of the regiment; and I am concerned to add, that this is still the more necessary, as there is some discontent in your troop, and I postpone inquiry into particulars until I can have the advantage of your assistance.>>

The second letter, dated eight days later, was in such a style as might have been expected from the colonel's receiving no answer to the first. It reminded Waverley of his duty, as a man of honour, an officer, and a Briton; took notice of the increasing dissatisfaction of his men, and that some of them had been heard to hint, that their captain encouraged and approved of their mutinous behaviour; and, finally, the writer expressed the utmost regret and surprise that he had not obeyed his commands by repairing to head-quarters,

reminded him that his leave of absence had been recalled, and conjured him, in a style in which paternal remonstrance was mingled with military authority, to redeem his error by immediately joining his regiment. << That I may be certain, » concluded the letter, «<that this actually reaches you, I diespatch it by Corporal Tims, with orders to deliver it into your own hand.»

Upon reading these letters, Waverley, with great bitterness of feeling, was compelled to make the amende honorable to the memory of the brave and excellent writer; for surely, as Colonel G must have had every reason to conclude they had come safely to hand, less could not follow, in their being neglected, than that third and final summons, which Waverley actually received at Glennaquoich, though too late to obey it. And his being superseded, in consequence of his apparent neglect of this last command, was so far from being a harsh or severe proceeding, that it was plainly inevitable. The next letter he unfolded was from the major of the regiment, acquainting him that a report, to the disadvantage of his reputation, was public in the country, stating, that one Mr Falconer of Ballihopple, or some such name, had proposed, in his presence, a treasonable toast, which he permitted to pass in silence, although it was so gross an affront to the royal family, that a

gentleman in company, not remarkable for his zeal for government, had nevertheless taken the matter up, and that Captain Waverley had thus suffered another, comparatively unconcerned, to resent an affront directed against him personally as an officer, and to go out with the person by whom it was offered. The Major concluded, that no one of Captain Waverley's brother officers could believe this scandalous story, but that his own honour, equally with that of the regiment, depended upon its being instantly contradicted by his authority, etc. etc. etc..

<< What do you think of all this?» said Colonel Talbot, to whom Waverley handed the letters after he had perused them.

<< Think! it renders thought impossible. It is enough to drive me mad.»

<< Be calm, my young friend; let us see what are these dirty scrawls which follow.»

The first was addressed, ,« For Master W. Ruffen These.»-« Dear sur, sum of our yong gulpins will not bite, thof I tuold them you shoed me the squoire's own seel. But Tims will deliver you the lettrs as desired, and tell ould Addem he gave them to squoir's hond, as to be sure yours is the same, and shall be reddy for signal, and hoy for Hoy Church and Sachefrel, as fadur sings at harvest-whome.

«Yours, deer Sur,

« H. H.

« Poscriff. Do'e tell squoire we longs to heer from him, and has dootings about his not writing himsell, and Lifetenant Bottler is smoky.»

« This Ruffen, I suppose, then, is your Donald of the Cavern, who has intercepted your letters, and carried on a correspondence with the poor devil Houghton, as if under your authority.»

<< It seems too true. But who can Addem be?»

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Possibly Adam, for poor G, a sort of pun on his name.»

The other letters were to the same purpose, and they soon received yet more complete light upon Donald Bean's machinations.

John Hodges, one of Waverley's servants, who had remained with the regiment, and had been taken at Preston, now made his appearance. He had sought out his master with the purpose of again entering his service. From this fellow they learned, that some time after Waverley had gone from the head-quarters of the regiment, a pedlar, called Ruthven, Ruffen, or Rivane, known among the soldiers by the name of Wily Will, had made frequent visits to the town of He appeared to possess

plenty of money, sold his commodities very cheap, seemed always willing to treat his friends at the ale-house, and easily ingratiated

himself with many of Waverley's troop, particularly Serjeant Houghton, and one Tims, also a non-commissioned officer. To these he unfolded, in Waverley's name, a plan for leaving the regiment and joining him in the Highlands, where report said the clans had already taken arms in great numbers. The men, who had been educated as Jacobites, so far as they had any opinions at all, and who knew their landlord, Sir Everard, had always been supposed to hold such tenets, easily fell into the snare. That Waverley was at a distance in the Highlands, was received as a sufficient excuse for transmitting his letters through the medium of the pedlar; and the sight of his well-known seal seemed to authenticate the negotiations in his name, where writing might have been dangerous. The cabal, however, began to take air, from the premature mutinous language of those concerned. Wily Will justi-. fied his appellative; for, after suspicion arose, he was seen no more. When the gazette appeared, in which Waverley was superseded, great part of his troop broke out into actual mutiny, but were surrounded and disarmed by the rest of the regiment. In consequence of the sentence of a court-martial, Houghton and Tims were condemned to be shot, but afterwards permitted to cast lots for life. Houghton, the survivor, showed much penitence, being convinced, from the rebukes and expla

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