your
promotion, and you shall have a commission the first vacancy."

Bothwell went through the salutation in the manner prescribed, but not
without evident marks of haughty reluctance, and, when he had done so,
said aloud, "To kiss a lady's hand can never disgrace a gentleman; but I
would not kiss a man's, save the king's, to be made a general."

"You hear him," said Claverhouse, smiling, "there's the rock he splits
upon; he cannot forget his pedigree."

"I know, my noble colonel," said Bothwell, in the same tone, "that you
will not forget your promise; and then, perhaps, you may permit Cornet
Stewart to have some recollection of his grandfather, though the Sergeant
must forget him."

"Enough of this, sir," said Claverhouse, in the tone of command which was
familiar to him; "and let me know what you came to report to me just
now."

"My Lord Evandale and his party have halted on the high-road with some
prisoners," said Bothwell.

"My Lord Evandale?" said Lady Margaret. "Surely, Colonel Grahame, you
will permit him to honour me with his society, and to take his poor
disjune here, especially considering, that even his most sacred Majesty
did not pass the Tower of Tillietudlem without halting to partake of some
refreshment."

As this was the third time in the course of the conversation that Lady
Margaret had adverted to this distinguished event, Colonel Grahame, as
speedily as politeness would permit, took advantage of the first pause to
interrupt the farther progress of the narrative, by saying, "We are
already too numerous a party of guests; but as I know what Lord Evandale
will suffer (looking towards Edith) if deprived of the pleasure which we
enjoy, I will run the risk of overburdening your ladyship's
hospitality.--Bothwell, let Lord Evandale know that Lady Margaret
Bellenden requests the honour of his company."

"And let Harrison take care," added Lady Margaret, "that the people and
their horses are suitably seen to."

Edith's heart sprung to her lips during this conversation; for it
instantly occurred to her, that, through her influence over Lord
Evandale, she might find some means of releasing Morton from his present
state of danger, in case her uncle's intercession with Claverhouse should
prove ineffectual. At any other time she would have been much averse to
exert this influence; for, however inexperienced in the world, her native
delicacy taught her the advantage which a beautiful young woman gives to