Violet Jacob > Flemington

HUNTLY HILL
283
made up his mind that he admired Archie as a
mighty clever fellow, but he was convinced that
he was more astute than anybody supposed, and it
gave him great delight to think that, probably, no
one but himself had a notion of the part Fleming-
ton was playing. Wattie was well aware of his
advancement, for his name was in everybody’s
mouth. He knew that he was on Cumberland’s
staff, just as Logie was on the staff of the Prince,
and he wagged his head as he thought how
Archie must have enriched himself at the expense
of both Whig and Jacobite. It was his opinion
that, knowledge being marketable, it was time
that somebody else should enrich himself too.
He would have given a great deal to know
whether Flemington, as a well-known man, had
continued his traffic with the other side, and as
he went up the hill beside the dark Whig officer
he was turning the question over in his mind.
He had kept his suspicions jealously to himself.
Whilst Flemington was far away in the North,
and all men’s eyes were looking across the Gram¬
pians, he knew that he could command no atten¬
tion, and he had cursed because he believed his
chance of profit to be lost. Archie had gone out
of range, and he could not reach him ; yet he kept
his knowledge close, like a prudent man, in case
the time should come when he might use it. And
now Flemington had returned, and he had been
sent out to meet him.
The way had grown steep, and as Callandar’s
horse began to stumble, the soldier swung him-