"Speak out, Sirrah,' said the Laird, assuming a look of his father's, a very particular one, which he had when he was angry-it seemed as if the wrinkles of his frown made that self-same fearful shape of a horse's shoe in the middle of his brow;- Speak out, Sir ! I will know your thoughts ;-do you suppose that I have this money?'

Far be it frae me to say so,' said Stephen.

"Do you charge any of my people with having taken it?'

"I wad be laith to charge them that may be innocent,' said my gudesire; and if there be any one that is guilty, I have nae proof.'

"Somewhere the money must be, if there is a word of truth in your story,' said Sir John; I ask where you think it is

and demand a correct answer? "In hell, if you will have my thoughts of it,' said my gudesire, driven to extremity, in hell! with your father and his silver whistle.'

"Down the stairs he ran, (for the parlour was nae place for him after such a word,) and he heard the Laird swearing blood and wounds behind him, as fast as ever did Sir Robert, and roaring for the baillie and the baron-officer. "Away rode my gudesire to his chief creditor, (him they ca'ad Laurie Lapraik,) to try if he could make onything out of him; but when he tauld his story, he got but the warst word in his mouth-thief, beggar, and dyvour, were the softest terms; and to the boot of these hard terms, Laurie brought up the auld story of his dipping his hand in the blood of God's saints, just as if a tenant could have helped riding with the Laird, and that a Laird like Sir Robert Red

gauntlet. My gudesire was, by this time, far beyond the bounds of patience, and, while he and Laurie were at de'il speed the liars, he was wanchancie aneugh to abuse his doctrine as weel as the man, and said things that gar'd folks flesh grew that heard them; he wasna just himsell, and he had lived wi' a wild set in his day.

"At last they parted, and my gudesire was to ride hame through the wood of Pitmarkie, that is all full of black firs, as they say. I ken the wood, but the firs may be black or white for what I can tell. At the entry of the wood there is a wild common, and on the edge of the common, a little lonely change-house that was keepit then by an ostler-wife, they suld hae ca'd her Tibbie Faw, and there puir Steenie cried for a mutchkin of brandy, for he had had no refreshment the whole day. Tibbie was earnest wi' him to take a bite of meat, but he couldna think o't, nor would he take his foot out of the stirrup, and took aff the brandy, wholey, at twa draughts, and named a toast at each :-the first was, The memory of Sir Robert Redgauntlet, and might he never lie quiet in his grave till he had righted his poor bond-tenant; and the second was, A health to Man's Enemy, if he would but get him back the pock of siller, or tell him what came o't, for he saw the whole world was like to regard him as a thief and a cheat, and he took that waur than even the ruin of his house and hauld.

"On he rode, little caring where. It was a dark night turned, and the trees made it yet darker, and he let the beast take its ain road through the wood; when, all of a sudden, from tired and wearied that it was before, the nag began to spring, and flee, and stend, that my gudesire could hardly keep the saddleUpon the whilk, a horseman, suddenly riding up beside him, said, That's a mettle beast of yours, friend; will you sell him 'So saying, he touched the horse's neck with his riding-wand, and it fell into its auld heigh-ho of a stum

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My goodsire scarce listened to this, but spurred his horse, with Gude, e'en to you, friend.'

But it's like the stranger was ane that does na lightly yield his point; for, ride as Steenie liked, he was aye beside him at the self-same pace. At last my goodsire, Steenie Steenson, grew half angry; and, to say the truth, half feared.

"What is it that ye want with me, friend?' he said. If ye be a robber, I have nae money; if ye be a leal man, wanting company, I have nae heart to mirth or speaking; and if ye want to ken the road, I scarce ken it mysell.'

"If you will tell me your grief,' said the stranger, 'I am one that, though I have been sair misca'ad in the world, am the only hand for helping my freends.' "So my gudesire, to ease his ain heart, mair than from any hope of help, told him the story from beginning to end.

"It's a hard pinch,' said the stranger; but I think I can help you.'

"If you could lend the money, Sir, and take a lang day-I ken nae other help on earth," said my gudesire.

"But there may be some under the earth,' said the stranger. Come, I'll be frank wi' you; I could lend you the money on bond, but you would, maybe, scruple my terms. Now, I can tell you, that your auld Laird is disturbed in his grave by your curses, and the wailing of your family, and-if ye dare venture to go to see him, he will give you the receipt.'

My gudesire's hair stood on end at this proposal, but he thought his companion might be some humoursome chield that was trying to frighten him, and might end with lending him the money. Besides, he was bold wi' brandy, and desperate wi' distress; and he said, he had courage to go to the gate of hell, and a step farther,

for that receipt. The stranger laughed. "Weel, they rode on through the thickest of the wood, when, all of a sudden, the horse stopped at the door of a great house; and, but that he knew the place was ten miles off, my father would have thought he was at Redgauntlet Castle. They rode into the outer court-yard, through the muckle faulding gates, and aneath the auld portcullis ; and the whole front of the house was lighted, and there were pipes and fiddles, and as much dancing and deray within as used to be in Sir Robert's house at Pace and Yule, and such high seasons. They lap off, and my gudesire, as seemed to him, fastened his horse to the very ring he had tied him to that morning, when he gaed to wait on the young Sir John.

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God! said my father, Robert's death be but a dream!'

if Sir

"Never fash yoursell wi' me,' said Dougal, but look to yoursell; and see ye tak naething frae onybody here, neither meat, drink, or siller, except just the receipt that is your ain.'

"So saying, he led the way out through halls and trances that were weel kenn'd to my gudesire, and into the auld oak parlour; and there was as much singing of profane sangs, and birling of red wine, and speaking blasphemy and sculduddry, as had ever been in Redgauntlet Castle when it was at the blythest.

"But, Lord take us in keeping! what a set of ghastly revellers they were that sat round that table !-My gudesire kenn'd many that had long before

gone to their place. There was the fierce Middleton, and the dissolute Rothes, and the crafty Lauderdale; and Dalyell, with his bald head and a beard to his girdle; and Earlshall, with Cameron's blude on his hand; and wild Bonshaw, that tied blessed Mr. Cargill's limbs till the blude sprung; and Dumbarton Douglas, the twice-turned traitor baith to country and king. There was the Bluidy Advocate Mac Kenyie, who, for his worldly wit and wisdom, had been to the rest as a god. And there was Claverhouse, as beautiful as when he lived, with his long, dark, curled locks, streaming down to his laced buffcoat, and his left hand always on his right spule-blade, to hide the wound that the silver bullet had made. He sat apart from them all, and looked at them with a melancholy, haughty countenance; while the rest hallooed, and sung, and laughed, that the room rang. But their smiles were fearfully contorted from time to time; and their laughter passed into such wild sounds, as made my gudesire's very nails grow blue, and chilled the marrow in his bones.

"They that waited at the table were jast the wicked serving-men and troopers, that had done their work and wicked bidding on earth. There was the Lang Lad of the Nethertown, that helped to take Argyll; and the Bishop's summoner, that they called the Deil's Rattle-bag; and the wicked guardsmen, in their laced coats; and the savage Highland Amorites, that shed blood like water; and many a proud servingman, haughty of heart and bloody of hand, cringing to the rich, and making them wickeder than they would be grinding the poor to powder, when the rich had broken them to fragments. And many, many mair were coming and ganging, a' as busy in their vocation as if they had been alive.

"Sir Robert Redgauntlet, in the midst of a' this fearful riot, cried, wi' a voice like thunder, on Steenie Piper, to come to the board-head where he

was sitting; his legs stretched out before him, and swathed up with flannel, with his holster pistols aside him, and great broad-sword rested against his chair, just as my gudesire had seen him the last time upon earth-the very cushion for the jack-an-ape was close to him, but the creature itsell was not there it wasna its hour, it's likely; for he heard them say as he came forward, Is not the Major come yet?' And another answered, The jack-an-ape will be here be times in the morn. And when my gudesire came forward, Sir Robert or his ghost, or the devil in his likeness, said, Weel, Piper, hae ye settled wi' my son for the year's rent?'

"With much ado my father got breath to say, that Sir John would not settle without his honour's receipt.

"Ye shall hae that for a tune of the pipes, Steenie,' said the appearance of Sir Robert Play us up Weel hoddled, Luckie."

"Now this was a tune my gudesire learned frae a warlock, that heard it when they were worshipping Satan at their meetings; and my gudesire had sometimes play it at the ranting suppers in Redgauntlet Castle, but never very willingly; and now he grew cauld at the very name of it, and said for excuse, he hadna his pipes wi' him.

"Mac Callum, ye limb of Beelze bub,' said the fearfu' Sir Robert, bring Steenie the pipes that I am keeping for him!'

"Mac Callum brought a pair of pipes might have served the piper of Donald and of Isles. But he gave my gudesire a nudge as he offered them; and looking secretly and closely, Steenie saw that the chanter was of steel, and heated to a white heat; so he had fair warning not to trust his fingers with it. So he excused himself again, and said, he was faint and frightened, and had not wind aneugh to fill the bag.

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Then ye maun eat and drink, Steenie, said the figure; for we do litthe else here; and it's ill speaking between a full man and a fasting.'

"Now these were the very words that the bloody Earl of Douglas said to keep the king's messenger in hand, while he cut the head off Mac Lellan of Bombie, at the Threave Castle; and that put Steenie mair and mair on his guard. So he spoke up like a man, and said he came neither to eat or drink, or make minstrelsy; but simply for his ain-to ken what was come o' the money he had paid, and to get a discharge for it, and he was so stouthearted by this time, that he charged Sir Robert for conscience-sake-(he had no power to say the holy name)and as he hoped for peace and rest, to spread no snares for him, but just to give him his ain.

"The appearance gnashed its teeth and laughed, but it took from a large pocket-book the receipt, and handed it to Steenie. Here is your receipt, ye pitiful cur; and for the money, my dogwhelp of a son may go look for it in the Cat's Cradle.'

"My gudesire uttered mony thanks, and was about to retire, when Sir Robert roared aloud, Stop though, thou sack-doudling son of a whore! I am not done with thee. Here we do nothing for nothing; and you must return on this very day twelvemonth, to pay your master the homage that you owe me for my protection.'

"My father's tongue was loosed of a suddenty, and he said aloud, I refer myself to God's pleasure, and not to yours.'

"He had no sooner uttered the word than all was dark around him; and he sunk on the earth with such a sudden shock, that he lost both breath and

sense.

"How lang Steenie lay there he could not tell; but when he came to himself, he was lying in the auld kirkyard of Redgauntlet parishine, just at the door of the family aisle, and the scutcheon of the auld knight, Sir Robert, hanging over his head. There was a deep morning fog on grass and gravestone around him, and his horse was

"No,' answered my gudesire, 'I have not; but I have brought your honour Sir Robert's receipt for it.'

"How, Sirrah ?-Sir Robert's receipt!-You told me he had not given you one.'

"Will your honour please to see if that bit line is right?'

"Sir John looked at every line, and at every letter, with much attention; and at last, at the date, which my gudesire had not observed,- From my appointed place,' he read this twentyfifth of November.' What!-That is yesterday!-Villain, thou must have gone to hell for this!'

"I got it from your honour's father-whether he be in heaven or hell, I know not,' said Steenie.

"I will debate you for a warlock to the Privy Council!' said Sir John. 'I will send you to your master, the devil, with the help of a tar-barrel and a torch !'

"I intend to delate mysell to the Presbytery,' said Steenie, and tell them all I have seen last night, whilk are things fitter for them to judge of than a borrel man like me.'

"Sir John paused, composed himself, and desired to hear the full history; and my gudesire told it him from point to point, as I have told it you-word for word, neither more nor less.

"Sir John was silent again for a long time, and at last he said, very composedly, Steenie, this story of yours con

cerns the honour of many a noble family besides mine; and if it be a leasing-making, to keep yourself out of my danger, the least you can expect is to have a red-hot iron driven through your tongue, and that will be as bad as scauding your fingers wi' a red-hot chanter. But yet it may be true, Steenie ; and if the money cast up, I will not know what to think of it.-But where shall we find the Cat's Cradle? There are cats enough about the old house, but I think they kitten without the ceremony of bed or cradle.'

"We were best ask Hutcheon,' said my gudesire; he kens a' theodd corners about as weel as-another servingman that is now gane, and that I wad not like to name.'

"Aweel, Hutcheon, when he was asked, told them, that a ruinous turret, lang disused, next to the clock-house, only accessible by a ladder, for the opening was on the outside, and far above the battlements, was called of old the Cat's Cradle.

"There will I go immediately,' said Sir John; and he took (with what purpose, heaven kens,) one of his father's pistols from the hall-table, where they had lain since the night he died, and hastened to the battlements.

"It was a dangerous place to climb, for the ladder was auld and frail, and wanted ane or twa rounds. However, up got Sir John, and entered at the turret door, where his body stopped the only little light that was in the bit turret. Something flees at him wi' a vengeance, maist dang him back ower-bang gaed the knight's pistol, and Hutcheon, that held the ladder, and my gudesire that stood beside him, hears a loud skelloch. A minute after Sir John flings the body of the jack-an-ape down to them, and cries that the siller is found, and that they should come up and help him. And there was the bag of siller sure aneugh, and many other things besides, that had been missing for many a day. And Sir John, when he had riped the turret weel, led my gudesire into the

dining-parlour, and took him by the hand, and spoke kindly to him, and said he was sorry he should have doubted his word, and that he would hereafter be a good master to him, to make amends.

"And now, Steenie,' said Sir John, 'although this vision of yours tends, on the whole, to my father's credit, as an honest man, that he should, even after his death, desire to see justice done to a poor man like you, yet you are sensible that ill-dispositioned men might make bad constructions upon it, concerning his soul's health. So, I think, we had better lay the whole dirdum on that ill-deedie creature, Major Weir, and say naething about your dream in the wood of Pitmurkie. You had taken ower mickle brandy to be very certain about anything; and, Steenie, this receipt, (his hand shook while he held it out)-it's but a queer document, and we will do best, I think, to put it quietly in the fire.'

"Od, but for as queer as it is, it's a' the voucher I have for my rent," said my gudesire, who was afraid, it may be, of losing the benefit of Sir Robert's discharge.

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"I will bear the contents to your credit in the rental-book, and give you a discharge under my own hand,' said Sir John, and that on the spot. And, Steenie, if you can hold your tongue about this matter, you shall sit, from this term downward, at an easier rent.' Many thanks to your honour,' said Steenie, who saw easily in what corner the wind sat; doubtless I will be conformable to all your honour's commands; only I would willingly speak wi' some powerful minister on the subject, for I do not like the sort of sunmons of appointment whilk your

honour's father——

"Do not call the phantom my father!' said Sir John, interrupting him.

"Weel then, the thing that was so like him,'-said my gudesire; he spoke of my coming back to him this time twelvemonth, and it's weight on my