The Clerk stood much astonished at the nature of Meg's accusation, and the pertinacity with which she seemed disposed to insist upon it. "I have this comfort," she continued, "that whatever has happened, it has been by no fault of mine, Mr. Bindloose; for weel I wot, before that bloodthirsty auld half-pay Philistine, MacTurk, got to speech of him, I clawed his cantle to some purpose with my hearth-besom.--But the poor simple bairn himsell, that had nae mair knowledge of the wickedness of human nature than a calf has of a flesher's gully, he threepit to see the auld hardened bloodshedder, and trysted wi' him to meet wi' some of the gang at an hour certain that same day, and awa he gaed to keep tryst, but since that hour naebody ever has set een on him.--And the mansworn villains now want to put a disgrace on him, and say that he fled the country rather than face them!--a likely story--fled the country for them!--and leave his bill unsettled--him that was sae regular--and his portmantle and his fishing-rod and the pencils and pictures he held sic a wark about!--It's my faithful belief, Mr. Bindloose--and ye may trust me or no as ye like--that he had some foul play between the Cleikum and the Buck-stane. I have thought it, and I have dreamed it, and I will be at the bottom of it, or my name is not Meg Dods, and that I wad have them a' to reckon on.--Ay, ay, that's right, Mr. Bindloose, tak out your pen and inkhorn, and let us set about it to purpose." With considerable difficulty, and at the expense of much cross-examination, Mr. Bindloose extracted from his client a detailed account of the proceedings of the company at the Well towards Tyrrel, so far as they were known to, or suspected by Meg, making notes, as the examination proceeded, of what appeared to be matter of consequence. After a moment's consideration, he asked the dame the very natural question, how she came to be acquainted with the material fact, that a hostile appointment was made between Captain MacTurk and her lodger, when, according to her own account, it was made _intra parietes_, and _remotis testibus_? "Ay, but we victuallers ken weel eneugh what goes on in our ain houses," said Meg--"And what for no?--If ye _maun_ ken a' about it, I e'en listened through the keyhole of the door." "And do you say you heard them settle an appointment for a duel?" said the Clerk; "and did you no take ony measures to hinder mischief, Mrs. Dods, having such a respect for this lad as you say you have, Mrs. Dods?--I really wadna have looked for the like o' this at your hands."