Fiction > Book editions > London, 1886 - Kidnapped

170                                     KIDNAPPED.
the temptation and the act are different, I thank God
again for that. We may all be tempted; but to take a
life in cold blood, Alan!" And I could say no more
for the moment. "And do you know who did it?" I
added.    "Do you know that man in the black coat?"
"I have nae clear mind about his coat," said Alan,
cunningly; "but it sticks in my head that it was
blue."
"Blue or black, did ye know him?" said I.
"I couldnae just conscientiously swear to him," says
Alan.    " He gaed very close by me, to be sure, but it's
a strange thing that I should just have been tying my
brogues."
"Can you swear that you don't know him, Alan?"
I cried, half angered, half in a mind to laugh at his
evasions.
"Not yet," says he; "but I've a grand memory
for forgetting, David."
"And yet there was one thing I saw clearly," said
I; "and that was, that you exposed yourself and me to
draw the soldiers."
"It's very likely." said Alan; "and so would any
gentleman. You and me were innocent of that trans-
action."
"The better reason, since we were falsely suspected,
that we should get clear," I cried. "The innocent
should surely corne before the guilty."
"Why, David," said he, "the innocent have aye a
chance to get assoiled in court; but for the lad that