The common people of the country either favoured or feared the smugglers too much to afford any evidence against them.

At length this busy magistrate obtained information that a man, having the dress and appearance of the person who had wounded Hazlewood, had lodged on the evening before the rencontre at the Gordon Arms in Kippletringan.

Thither Mr.Glossin immediately went, for the purpose of interrogating our old acquaintance Mrs.Mac-Candlish.
The reader may remember that Mr.Glossin did not, according to this good woman's phrase, stand high in her books.

She therefore attended his summons to the parlour slowly and reluctantly, and, on entering the room, paid her respects in the coldest possible manner.

The dialogue then proceeded as follows:-- 'A fine frosty morning, Mrs.Mac-Candlish.' 'Ay, sir; the morning's weel eneugh,' answered the landlady, drily.
'Mrs.Mac-Candlish, I wish to know if the justices are to dine here as usual after the business of the court on Tuesday ?' 'I believe--I fancy sae, sir--as usual' (about to leave the room).
'Stay a moment, Mrs.Mac-Candlish; why, you are in a prodigious hurry, my good friend! I have been thinking a club dining here once a month would be a very pleasant thing.' 'Certainly, sir; a club of RESPECTABLE gentlemen.' 'True, true,' said Glossin, 'I mean landed proprietors and gentlemen of weight in the county; and I should like to set such a thing a-going.' The short dry cough with which Mrs.Mac-Candlish received this proposal by no means indicated any dislike to the overture abstractedly considered, but inferred much doubt how far it would succeed under the auspices of the gentleman by whom it was proposed.