THE LINDSAYS A Romance of Scottish Life BY JOHN K. LEYS [Illustration: colophon] IN THREE VOLUMES VOL. III. London CHATTO & WINDUS, PICCADILLY 1888 [_The right of translation is reserved_] CONTENTS OF VOL. III. CHAPTER PAGE XXVII. TWO CONVERSATIONS 1 XXVIII. TROUBLE DRAWS NEAR 23 XXIX. AT THE POLICE COURT 39 XXX. ALEC’S FRIENDS VISIT HIM 61 XXXI. MISGIVINGS 77 XXXII. BEFORE THE TRIAL 93 XXXIII. THE TRIAL 107 XXXIV. AFTER THE TRIAL 150 XXXV. MISS MEREDITH INSISTS ON BEING OBEYED 176 XXXVI. SICK UNTO DEATH 192 XXXVII. THE FUGITIVE’S RETURN 211 XXXVIII. TWO YEARS AFTER 229 THE LINDSAYS. CHAPTER XXVII. TWO CONVERSATIONS. Mr. Hatchett drove back to his office in a brown study. When he arrived there he sent for Mr. Beattie, who speedily made his appearance. ‘Mr. Lindsay is not here, is he?’ were the solicitor’s first words. ‘No, sir. He has been confined to the house with a bad cold for more than a week.’ ‘Just fetch me the draft of his uncle’s will, if you please.’ Mr. Beattie left the room and came back after a few minutes, saying that he could not find it. This was not surprising, seeing that the document was at that moment reposing in a drawer of Mr. Beattie’s writing-table, at his own lodgings. ‘You can’t find it!’ exclaimed Mr. Hatchett, his face becoming more grave. ‘No. It is not among the other drafts, nor in any of the drawers of Mr. Lindsay’s table. One of them is locked, however, and he has the key. Very probably he has put it there for safety.’ ‘Likely enough. Did you see the draft before it was sent out?’ ‘I don’t think I did,’ said Mr. Beattie, after considering a moment. ‘No; I am almost sure I did not. I was very busy at the time; but I remember telling Mr. Lindsay to lay the draft on my table, and I would revise it.’ ‘Did he do so?’ ‘I can’t say; but I never saw it there, and so the thing escaped my memory.’ ‘You ought not to have allowed an important draft like that to leave the office, without either settling it yourself or sending it to counsel,’ said Mr. Hatchett severely.