would bear no weight, defeated his intention.
He wrapped a torn fragment of
blanket round his body before leaving, as
he writes, "for future use, little dreaming of
the awful purpose it was afterwards to be
turned to."

It was used in aid of the escape made soon
afterwards from Dumfries Jail. With a
large stone slung in it, a death-blow was
given to the turnkey of Dumfries, Thomas
Morris. The plan of escape was desperate,
and contrived, not by one prisoner only; but
David Haggart was the only captive who, on
the alarm being given, baffled his pursuers.
At one time, in a ditch, by Cumlungan Wood,
after he had crossed an open field with
constables in chace, "I could have breathed," he
says, "on John Richardson as he passed me.
Never did a fox double the hounds in better
style." Next day, being concealed in a hay-
stack, on the other side of Annan, "I heard
a woman ask a boy, if that lad was taken
that had broken out of Dumfries jail ?" the
boy answered, "No, but the jailor died last
night, at ten o'clock." He knew then, that
when he was tried next, it would be for
murder. The woman and boy passed on. The
fugitive came out of the stack. Hurrying
away, he presently changed clothes with a
scarecrow in a field, and marched on in the
dress of a potato bogie.

CHAPTER THE LAST.

David Haggart resumes Business in England and
Scotland, visits Ireland. Seizure. Trial.
Condemnation. Execution. Clerical Admiration of his
Piety and Phrenological Enjoyment of his Bumps.

AT Carlisle, our hero found an old
acquaintance, Mrs. Stubs, in Riccargate, who
gave him the first food he had had since he
left Dumfries jail. Travelling on then, by
night, in girl's clothes, he reached Newcastle,
and remained there for twelve days, diligent
in his profession as a thief. One evening, on
his way to the theatre, he brushed against
John Richardson, who did not notice him.
Thereupon, he determined to return to
Edinburgh, and went by coach, filching purses on
his way.

At Edinburgh, he went out only at night,
and in girl's clothes. One night, dressed in
his own clothes, he ventured to Leith, and
there met the well-known chief of the police.
Their eyes met. David thrust his hand into
his breast pocket, as if for a pistol (and he
doubtless carried one), upon which the officer
of justice fled, and a minute after, David
followed his example. He then went on a
Scotch professional tour with a partner,
and returned again to Edinburgh, where
he read a police bill offering a reward
of seventy pounds for his apprehension.
This caused him again to travel. He went
to Perth, where there was, during his
stay, an illumination for Queen Caroline's
acquittal, at which, he writes in his own
learned style, under the eye of approving
pastors, "I played a noble stick, having got
four wedge scouts (silver watches), and a
dross (gold) one, and thirteen screaves in a
lil, which I fork't from a suck. I took
four of the scouts from shopkeepers who
were standing at their own doors. Never
was there such a down in a voil (hue and
cry in a town)." Firm to his calling the
heroic youth did all this, knowing well
that arrest for the stealing even of a pin,
would involve trial for a murder.

After a profitable tour among surrounding
fairs, Haggart returned to Perth by coach,
slipping away at the journey's end without
paying any fare, and soon afterwards was, with
his comrades for the time, surprised in a
private room at an inn, by constables. He
assumed the air of a gentleman, and the inn-
keeper, whom he had taken care never to
cheat, believed him to be one. Quite willing
to accompany the officers, and explain any
misunderstanding, he stepped aside for his
great coat; and, slipping out at the back-door,
made all haste to an obscure house in the
town, which he did not leave till two days
afterwards, when he had business ready for him at
Glammis fair. At that fair the profession
was overstocked, no business was done, but
in the evening David robbed and beat on the
highway, a farmer, who had many bank-notes
in his pocket.

With one comrade, David, then, doing
business by the way, proceeded to Glasgow,
and embarked at the Broomielaw for Ireland.
One passenger was the Provost of Kirkaldy,
who landed at Lamlash; and, before landing,
scrutinised our hero. He wrote a letter next
day to Dumfries. "It was well for him," says
David, "I did not know his suspicions at the
time, for he went on shore in black night,
and I could too easily have put him under
the wave."

At the fairs in Ireland David, for a time,
was happy. "Paddyland," he instructs us,
"is the land for pickpockets; lots of money,
oceans of drink, and knocking down pell-mell
even on; then is the time to work away at
the business. England is too much hunted,
and there is no money in Scotland."

At Drummore, a man who had been fellow-
prisoner with Haggart at Dumfries saw him,
and being afterwards "pulled for thieving,"
sought his own release by telling that he had
seen Haggart, the murderer, at market. By
this man's help, Haggart was taken, and,
spite of his ingenious imitation of the Irish
brogue, detained. Three yeomen were
ordered to join the constables in sitting up
with him all night in the court-room, to
prevent his escape. Yet he contrived to take a
harlequin's leap through a large window,
alight upon his legs unhurt by the broken
glass, and run under the shadow of a dark
entrance, while the bewildered watchman
hunted out into the night. He then travelled
to Newry, there resumed his business, and
afterwards reached Dublin, where he paid