"We know more," resumed Sir Alexander Forfair, "of your movements than you imagine, sir. We know that you and this young man were extremely friendly on last night; that you parted after an evening spent together on the most amicable terms; that the young man left before you did; that some sort of an encounter, as you allege, took place in the wood a few miles this side of Cockenzie. We know further that you and the young man rode together in Lord Leven's coach to Musselburgh; that you and he came a-horseback to Edinburgh, and that you are now here alone." It was not difficult for me to see whence this information had come. My horse had gone back to the inn at Cockenzie. The landlord had sent a messenger immediately, who had observed the blood and evidence of struggle in the wood. He had galloped on to report the adventure to the authorities at Edinburgh. They had been looking for me. They had learned in some way of our ride to Musselburgh, probably from the coachman, who would be apt to talk about it, and our entrance through the city gates an hour since had been doubtless reported. What a fool I had been! I had permitted myself to be robbed by a woman and had become so infatuated with her that the simplest precautions had escaped me. I stood absolutely convicted. There was no defence I could make; no explanation in the least degree plausible that I could urge. In one moment the peril of the situation burst upon me. Lady Katharine's act had undoubtedly been treason. I stood as an abettor and participant therein. My only salvation would be to tell the whole truth and throw myself upon the mercy of the Justice and the King. If I did that, I had no doubt that I might escape with no more severe punishment than a reprimand. But that was the one thing I could not do. I had put my head in a noose, or under the axe rather, having previously fettered myself, hand and foot. I was helpless. What I should have been glad to have done for love of her ladyship, I had now the added incentive to do for my honour's sake. No gentleman, under such circumstances, could have betrayed a woman. "Now, sir," continued the Chief Justice, as these thoughts ran lightning-like through my head, "what have you done with the royal warrant for Clanranald's execution?" "It was burned," I answered. "Who burned it?" "The highwayman." "And you permitted it?" "I had naught to do with it, lying senseless in the road." "Do you deny that the young man with whom you supped at Cockenzie and with whom, doubtless, you arranged this pretty little play was the highwayman?" "I deny nothing, sir, neither do I affirm anything, save that there was no arrangement between us; that I was assaulted upon the highway; that I made the best defence I could, and that I was wounded." "Do you deny that you were thereafter this day in company with this young man?" A thought came to me.