The Twin Detectives; or, The Robbers of the Tomb — page 20: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE TWIN DETECTIVES. 11 Of course, George Hayden was soon posted about Donald McLean. “‘He’s a ne’er-do-weel,” said one. ‘¢ He brake his mither’s heart,” added another. ‘“‘Surely it’s a shame sic a godly mon should be plagit wi’ yon wretch!” said a third. | The young man’s character was evidently thoroughly un- derstood by the inhabitants of the little town of Skene, near - the hall. He was a frequenter of the public-house, and a vaerllae loafer—a thorn in the side of his eminently respectable parent. People wondered why McLean did not cast off this worth- less youth; but the steward was rather reserved on the sub- ject, and no one dared to offer him advice. He was too im- portant a man to be trifled with. } So Donald hung around the COUAREs and did pretty much as he liked. He had taken a great dislike to George Hayden, but the latter did not let him know that he perceived it. | He was bent on being polite to the young man, and the more Donald repelled his advances, the more pressing he became. At length they established a species of friendship, for the worthy son of the house of McLean found that the game- keeper seemed to have an unlimited supply of cash, which he was willing to lend. Donald appreciated this good quality in the Englishman, for he had pretty well exhausted all the resources of his other acquaintances. . George did not drink, but he got into the way of accom- panying his friend to the public-house, and passed a few hours in his society there. He never remained out late, however; for he ented anx- | Gomicbooks 1eK0)