"The fellow passes by the name of Herriot, though it is suspected that
this is not his true name," responded the sheriff. "The crime was
committed at Albany, several years ago, when he killed, or mortally
wounded, an intimate friend of Mr. Brush."

"Under what circumstances?"

"Why, from what I have gathered, I should think the story might be
something like this: that, some time previous to the murder, this
Herriot had come to Albany, got into company above his true place,
dashed away a while in high life, gambled deeply, and, losing all his
own money, and running up a large debt to this, and other friends of
Brush, gave them his obligations and absconded. But coming there
again, for some purpose, a year or two after, with a large sum of
money, it was thought, which had been left or given him by a rich
Spaniard, whose life he had saved, or something of the kind, those
whom he owed beset him to pay them, or play again. But he refused to
play, pretending to have become pious, and also held back about paying
up his old debts. Their debts, however, they determined to have, and
went to him for that purpose; when an affray arose, and one of them
was killed by Herriot, who escaped, and fled, it seems, to this
section of the country, where he kept himself secluded in some hut in
the mountains, occasionally appear-ing abroad to preach religion and
rebellion to the people, by which means he was discovered, arrested,
and imprisoned in Westminster jail, where he awaits his trial at the
coming term of the court. And I presume he will be convicted and hung,
unless he makes friends with Brush to intercede for a pardon, which he
probably might do, if the fellow would disgorge enough of his hidden
treasures to pay his debts, and cease disaffecting the people, which