to remove; and that Frank Kennedy, that was a rough swearing fellow, he was sent to turn them aff. And he cursed and damned at them, and they swore at him, and that Meg Merrilies, that was the maist powerful with the Enemy of Mankind, she as gude as said she would have him body and soul before three days were ower his head. And I have it from a sure hand, and that's ane wha saw it, and that's John Wilson that was the Laird's groom, that Meg appeared to the Laird as he was riding hame from Singleside over Gibbie'sknow, and threatened him wi' what she wad do to his family-but whether it was Meg, or something warse in her likeness, for it seemed bigger than ony mortal creature-John could not say.'

"Aweel," said the postillion, " it might be sae-I canna say against it, for I was not in the country at the time-but John Wilson was a blustering kind of fellow, without the heart of a sprug.'

And what was the end of all this ?" said the stranger, with some impatience.

"Ou, the event and upshot of it was, sir," said the Precentor, "that while they were all looking on, beholding a king's ship chase a smuggler, this Kennedy suddenly brake away frae them without ony reason that could be descried-ropes nor tows wad not hae held him and made for the wood of Warroch as fast as his beast could carry him; and by the way he met the young Laird and his governor, and he snatched up the bairn, and swore, if he was bewitched, the bairn should hae the same luck as him-and the minister followed as fast as he could, and almaist as fast as them, for he was wonderfully swift of foot-and he saw Meg the witch, or her master in her similitude, rise suddenly out of the ground, and claught the bairn suddenly out of the gauger's arms-and then he rampauged and drew his sword-for ye ken a fie man and a cusser fears na the deil." "I believe that's very true," said the postillion.

"So, sir, she grippit him, and clodded him

like a stane from the sling ower the craigs of Warroch-head, where he was found that evening-but what became of the babe, frankly I cannot say. But he that was minister here then, that's now in a better place, had an opinion, that the bairn was only conveyed to Fairy-land for a sea

The stranger had smiled slightly at some parts of this recital, but ere he could answer, the clatter of a horse's hoofs were heard, and a smart servant, handsomely dressed, with a cockade in his hat, bustled into the kitchen, with " make a little room, good people;" when, observing the stranger, he descended at once into the modest and civil domestic, his hat sunk down by his side, and he put a letter into his master's hands." The family at Ellangowan," sir, are in great distress, and unable to receive any visits."

"I know it," replied his master: "And. now, madam, if you will have the goodness to allow me to occupy the parlour you

mentioned, as you are disappointed of

your guests"

Certainly, sir," said Mrs Mac-Candlish, and lighted the way with all the imperative bustle which an active landlady loves to display upon such occasions.

"Young man," said the Deacon to the servant, filling a glass, "ye'll no be the warse of this after your ride."

"Not a feather, sir-your very good health."

"And wha may your master be, friend?" "What, the gentleman that was here? -that's the famous Colonel Mannering, from the East Indies."

"What, him we read of in the newspa

Aye, aye, just the same.

It was he

relieved Cuddieburn, and defended Chingalore, and defeated the great Mahratta chief, Ram Jolli Bundleman-I was with him in most of his campaigns."

"Lord safe us," said the landlady, "I

must go see what he would have for supper-that I should set him down here!"

"O, he likes that all the better, mother; -you never saw a plainer creature in your life than the Colonel; and yet he has a spice of the devil in him too."

The rest of the evening conversation below stairs, tending little to edification, we shall, with the reader's leave, step up to the parlour.