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he had tracked his booty under the cloud of night。 Now was the moment to prove his prowess in the eye of day； to break with a past which he already deemed ignoble。 His heart leaped with the occasion： he tackled his adventure with the hot…head energy of a new member； big with his maiden speech。 The victim was chosen in an instant： a backer； whose good fortune had broken the bookmakers。 There was no thief on the course who did not wait； in hungry appetence； the sportsman's descent from the stand； yet the novice outstripped them all。 ‘I got the first dive at his keek…cloy；' he writes in his simple； heroic style； ‘and was so eager on my prey； that I pulled out the pocket along with the money； and nearly upset the gentleman。' A steady brain saved him from the consequence of an o'erbuoyant enthusiasm。 The notes were passed to Barney in a flash； and when the sportsman turned upon his assailant； Haggart's hands were empty。
Thereupon followed an infinite series of brilliant exploits。 With Barney to aid； he plundered the Border like a reiver。 He stripped the yeomen of Tweedside with a ferocity which should have avenged the disgrace of Flodden。 More than once he ransacked Ecclefechan； though it is unlikely that he emptied the lean pocket of Thomas Carlyle。 There was not a gaff from Newcastle to the Tay which he did not haunt with sedulous perseverance； nor was he confronted with failure； until his figure became a universal terror。 His common method was to price a horse； and while the dealer showed Barney the animal's teeth； Haggart would slip under the uplifted arm； and ease the blockhead of his blunt。 Arrogant in his skill； delighted with his manifold triumphs； Haggart led a life of unbroken prosperity under the brisk air of heaven； and； despite the risk of his profession； he remained two years a stranger to poverty and imprisonment。 His worst mishap was to slip his forks into an empty pocket； or to encounter in his cups a milvadering horse… dealer； but his joys were free and frank； while he exulted in his success with a boyish glee。 ‘I was never happier in all my life than when I fingered all this money；' he exclaims when he had captured the comfortable prize of two hundred pounds。 And then he would make merry at Newcastle or York； forgetting the knowing ones for a while； going abroad in white cape and tops； and flicking his leg like a gentleman with a dandy whip。 But at last Barney and a wayward ambition persuaded him to desert his proper craft for the greater hazard of cracking a crib； and thus he was involved in his ultimate ruin。 He incurred and he deserved the untoward fate of those who overlook their talents' limitation； and when this master of pickpockets followed Barney through the window of a secluded house upon the York Road； he might already have felt the noose tightening at his neck。 The immediate reward of this bungled attack was thirty pounds； but two days later he was committed with Barney to the Durham Assizes； where he exchanged the obscurity of the perfect craftsman for the notoriety of the dangerous gaol…bird。
For the moment； however； he recovered his freedom： breaking prison； he straightway conveyed a fiddlestick to his comrade； and in a twinkling was at Newcastle again； picking up purses well lined with gold； and robbing the bumpkins of their scouts and chats。 But the time of security was overpast。 Marked and suspicious； he began to fear the solitude of the country； he left the horse…fair for the city； and sought in the budging…kens of Edinburgh the secrecy impossible on the hill…side。 A clumsy experiment in shop…lifting doubled his danger； and more than once he saw the inside of the police…office。 Henceforth； he was free of the family； he loafed in the Shirra…Brae； he knew the flash houses of Leith and the Grassmarket。 With Jean Johnston； the blowen of his choice； he smeared his hands with the squalor of petty theft； and the drunken recklessness wherewith he swaggered it abroad hastened his approaching downfall。
With a perpetual anxiety to avoid the nippers his artistry dwindled。 The left hand； invincible on the Cheviots； seemed no better than a bunch of thumbs in the narrow ways of Edinburgh； and after innumerable misadventures Haggart was safely lodged in Dumfries gaol。 No sooner was he locked within his cell than his restless brain planned a generous escape。 He would win liberty for his fellows as well as for himself； and after a brief council a murderous plot was framed and executed。 A stone slung in a handkerchief sent Morrin； the gaoler； to sleep； the keys found on him opened the massy doors； and Haggart was free with a reward set upon his head。 The shock of the enterprise restored his magnanimity。 Never did he display a finer bravery than in this spirited race for his life； and though three counties were aroused he doubled and ducked to such purpose that he outstripped John Richardson himself with all his bloodhounds； and two days later marched into Carlisle disguised in the stolen rags of a potato…bogle。
During the few months that remained to him of life he embarked upon a veritable Odyssey： he scoured Scotland from the Border to St。 Andrews； and finally contrived a journey oversea to Ireland； where he made the name of Daniel O'Brien a terror to well…doers。 Insolent and careless； he lurched from prison to prison； now it was Armagh that held him； now Downpatrick； until at last he was thrust on a general charge of vagabondage and ill…company into Kilmainham； which has since harboured many a less valiant adventurer than David Haggart。 Here the culminating disgrace overtook him： he was detected in the prison yard by his ancient enemy； John Richardson； of Dumfries； who dragged him back to Scotland heavily shackled and charged with murder。 So nimble had he proved himself in extrication； that his captors secured him with pitiless severity； round his waist he carried an iron belt； whereto were padlocked the chains； clanking at his wrists and ankles。 Thus tortured and helpless； he was fed ‘like a sucking turkey in Bedlam'； but his sorrows vanished； and his dying courage revived at sight of the torchlight procession； which set forth from Dumfries to greet his return。
His coach was hustled by a mob； thousands strong； eager to catch sight of Haggart the Murderer； and though the spot where he slew Morrin was like fire beneath his passing feet； he carried to his cell a heart and a brain aflame with gratified vanity。 His guilt being patent； reprieve was as hopeless as acquittal； and after the assured condemnation he spent his last few days with what profit he might in religious and literary exercises。 He composed a memoir； which is a model of its kind； so diligently did he make his soul； that he could appear on the scaffold in a chastened spirit of prayerful gratitude； and； being an eminent scoundrel； he seemed a proper subject for the ministrations of Mr。 George Combe。 ‘That is the one thing I did not know before；' he confessed with an engaging modesty； when his bumps were squeezed； and yet he was more than a match for the amiable phrenologist； whose ignorance of mankind persuaded him to believe that an illiterate felon could know himself and analyse his character。
His character escaped his critics as it escaped himself。 Time was when George Borrow； that other picaroon； surprised the youthful David； thinking of Willie Wallace upon the Castle Rock； and Lavengro's romantic memory transformed the raw…boned pickpocket into a monumental hero； who lacked nothing save a vast theatre to produce a vast effect。 He was a Tamerlane； robbed of his opportunity； a valiant warrior； who looked in vain for a battlefield； a marauder who climbed the scaffold not for the magnitude； but for the littleness of his sins。 Thus Borrow； in complete misunderstanding of the rascal's qualities。
Now； Haggart's ambition was as circumscribed as his ability。 He died； as he was born； an expert cly…faker； whose achievements in sleight of hand are as yet unparalleled。 Had the world been one vast breast pocket his fish…hook fingers would have turned it inside out。 But it was not his to mount a throne； or overthrow a dynasty。 ‘My forks；' he boasted； ‘are equally long； and they never fail me。' That is at once the reason and the justification of his triumph。 Born with a consummate artistry tingling at his finger…tips； how should he escape the compulsion of a glorious destiny？ Without fumbling or failure he discovered the single craft for which fortune had framed him； and he pursued it with a courage and an industry which gave him not a kingdom； but fame and booty； exceeding even his greedy aspiration。 No Tamerlane he； questing for a continent； but David Haggart； the man with the long forks； happy if he snatched his neighbour's purse。
Before all things he respected the profession which his left hand made inevitable； and which he pursued with unconquerable pride。 Nor in his inspired youth was plunder his sole ambition： he cultivated the garden of his style with the natural zeal of the artist； he frowned upon the bungler with a lofty contempt。 His materials were simplicity itself： his forks； which were always with him； and another's well…filled pocket； since； sensible of danger； he cared not to risk his