--
I see they have actually prevailed upon that wretched creature we've all
been reading about in the papers lately, to confess the murder of her
little brother! Do you think they had any right to do that? Remember the
jury had acquitted her."
"And has she railly confessed? I _am_ glaid o' that! I only wuss they could
get a haud o' Madeline Smith as weel, and persuaud _her_ to confess! Eh,
the state o' that puir crater's conscience! It 'maist gars me greit to
think o' 't! Gien she wad but confess, houp wad spring to life in her
sin-oppressed soul! Eh, but it maun be a gran' lichtenin to that puir
thing! I'm richt glaid to hear o' 't."
"I didn't know, Mr. MacLear, that you favoured the power and influence of
the priesthood to such an extent! We Presbyterian clergy are not in the way
of doing the business of detectives, taking upon us to act as the agents of
human justice! There is no one, guilty or not, but is safe with us!"
"As with any confessor, Papist or Protestant," rejoined the soutar.
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