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The fellow saw what he meant； and whipped his horse。 Shargar sprung
on the box； and dragged him down all but headlong。
'Now；' he said； 'beg my mother's pardon。'
'Be damned if I do； &c。； &c。；' said the cabman。
'Then defend yourself；' said Shargar。 'Robert。'
Falconer was watching it all； and was by his side in a moment。
'Come on； you； &c。； &c。；' cried the cabman； plucking up heart and
putting himself in fighting shape。 He looked one of those insolent
fellows whom none see discomfited more gladly than the honest men of
his own class。 The same moment he lay between his horse's feet。
Shargar turned to Robert； and saying only； 'There； Robert！' turned
again towards the woman。 The cabman rose bleeding； and； desiring no
more of the same； climbed on his box； and went off； belabouring his
horse； and pursued by a roar from the street； for the spectators
were delighted at his punishment。
'Now； mother；' said Shargar； panting with excitement。
'What ca' they ye？' she asked； still doubtful； but as proud of being
defended as if the coarse words of her assailant had had no truth in
them。 'Ye canna be my lang…leggit Geordie。'
'What for no？'
'Ye're a gentleman； faith！'
'An' what for no； again？' returned Shargar； beginning to smile。
'Weel； it's weel speired。 Yer father was ane ony gaitgin sae be
'at ye are as ye say。'
Moray put his head close to hers； and whispered some words that
nobody heard but herself。
'It's ower lang syne to min' upo' that；' she said in reply； with a
look of cunning consciousness ill settled upon her fine features。
'But ye can be naebody but my Geordie。 Haith； man！' she went on；
regarding him once more from head to foot； 'but ye're a credit to
me； I maun alloo。 Weel； gie me a sovereign； an' I s' never come
near ye。'
Poor Shargar in his despair turned half mechanically towards Robert。
He felt that it was time to interfere。
'You forget； mother；' said Shargar； turning again to her； and
speaking English now； 'it was I that claimed you； and not you that
claimed me。'
She seemed to have no idea of what he meant。
'Come up the road here； to oor public； an' tak a glaiss； wuman；'
said Falconer。 'Dinna haud the fowk luikin' at ye。'
The temptation of a glass of something strong； and the hope of
getting money out of them； caused an instant acquiescence。 She said
a few words to the young woman； who proceeded at once to tie her
donkey's head to the tail of the other cart。
'Shaw the gait than；' said the elder； turning again to Falconer。
Shargar and he led the way to St。 Paul's Churchyard； and the woman
followed faithfully。 The waiter stared when they entered。
'Bring a glass of whisky；' said Falconer； as he passed on to their
private room。 When the whisky arrived； she tossed it off； and
looked as if she would like another glass。
'Yer father 'ill hae ta'en ye up； I'm thinkin'； laddie？' she said；
turning to her son。
'No；' answered Shargar； gloomily。 'There's the man that took me up。'
'An' wha may ye be？' she asked； turning to Falconer。
'Mr。 Falconer；' said Shargar。
'No a son o' Anerew Faukner？' she asked again； with evident
interest。
'The same；' answered Robert。
'Well； Geordie；' she said； turning once more to her son； 'it's like
mither； like father to the twa o' ye。'
'Did you know my father？' asked Robert； eagerly。
Instead of answering him she made another remark to her son。
'He needna be ashamed o' your company； ony gaitqueer kin' o' a
mither 'at I am。'
'He never was ashamed of my company；' said Shargar； still gloomily。
'Ay； I kent yer father weel eneuch；' she said； now answering
Robert'mair by token 'at I saw him last nicht。 He was luikin' nae
that ill。'
Robert sprung from his seat； and caught her by the arm。
'Ow！ ye needna gang into sic a flurry。 He'll no come near ye； I s'
warran'。'
'Tell me where he is；' said Robert。 'Where did you see him？ I'll
gie ye a' 'at I hae gin ye'll tak me till him。'
'Hooly！ hooly！ Wha's to gang luikin' for a thrum in a hay…sow？'
returned she； coolly。 'I only said 'at I saw him。'
'But are ye sure it was him？' asked Falconer。
'Ay； sure eneuch；' she answered。
'What maks ye sae sure？'
''Cause I never was vrang yet。 Set a man ance atween my twa een；
an' that 'll be twa 'at kens him whan 's ain mither 's forgotten
'im。'
'Did you speak to him？'
'Maybe ay； an' maybe no。 I didna come here to be hecklet afore a
jury。'
'Tell me what he's like；' said Robert； agitated with eager hope。
'Gin ye dinna ken what he's like； what for suld ye tak the trouble
to speir？ But 'deed ye'll ken what he's like whan ye fa' in wi'
him；' she added； with a vindictive laughvindictive because he had
given her only one glass of strong drink。
With the laugh she rose； and made for the door。 They rose at the
same moment to detain her。 Like one who knew at once to fight and
flee； she turned and stunned them as with a blow。
'She's a fine yoong thing； yon sister o' yours； Geordie。 She'll be
worth siller by the time she's had a while at the schuil。'
The men looked at each other aghast。 When they turned their eyes
she had vanished。 They rushed to the door； and； parting； searched
in both directions。 But they were soon satisfied that it was of no
use。 Probably she had found a back way into Paternoster Row； whence
the outlets are numerous。
CHAPTER IV。
THE DOCTOR'S DEATH。
But now that Falconer had a ground； even thus shadowy； for hopingI
cannot say believingthat his father might be in London； he could
not return to Aberdeen。 Moray； who had no heart to hunt for his
mother； left the next day by the steamer。 Falconer took to
wandering about the labyrinthine city； and in a couple of months
knew more about the metropolisthe west end exceptedthan most
people who had lived their lives in it。 The west end is no doubt a
considerable exception to make； but Falconer sought only his father；
and the west end was the place where he was least likely to find
him。 Day and night he wandered into all sorts of places： the worse
they looked the more attractive he found them。 It became almost a
craze with him。 He could not pass a dirty court or low…browed
archway。 He might be there。 Or he might have been there。 Or it
was such a place as he would choose for shelter。 He knew to what
such a life as his must have tended。
At first he was attracted only by tall elderly men。 Such a man he
would sometimes follow till his following made him turn and demand
his object。 If there was no suspicion of Scotch in his tone；
Falconer easily apologized。 If there was； he made such replies as
might lead to some betrayal。 He could not defend the course he was
adopting： it had not the shadow of probability upon its side。 Still
the greatest successes the world has ever beheld had been at