The bagman Linklater had been one of Gresson's creatures.

The only meagre consolation was that the gang had thought me dangerous enough to attempt to murder me, and that they knew nothing about my doings in Skye.

Of that I was positive.

They had marked me down, but for several days I had slipped clean out of their ken.
As I went over all the incidents, I asked if everything was yet lost.

I had failed to hoodwink Ivery, but I had found out his post office, and if he only believed I hadn't recognized him for the miscreant of the Black Stone he would go on in his old ways and play into Blenkiron's hands.