o,
like a sheep's head between a pair of tangs--an ill-faur'd, fearsome
couple they were. The laird's buff-coat was hung on a pin behind him and
his broadsword and his pistols within reach; for he keepit up the auld
fashion of having the weapons ready, and a horse saddled day and night,
just as he used to do when he was able to loup on horseback, and sway
after ony of the hill-folk he could get speerings of. Some said it was
for fear of the Whigs taking vengeance, but I judge it was just his auld
custom--he wasna gine not fear onything. The rental-book, wi' its black
cover and brass clasps, was lying beside him; and a book of sculduddery
sangs was put betwixt the leaves, to keep it open at the place where it
bore evidence against the goodman of Primrose Knowe, as behind the hand
with his mails and duties. Sir Robert gave my gudesire a look, as if he
would have withered his heart in his bosom. Ye maun ken he had a way of
bending his brows that men saw the visible mark of a horseshoe in his
forehead, deep-dinted, as if it had been stamped there.

"Are ye come light-handed, ye son of a toom whistle?" said Sir Robert.
"Zounds! If you are--"

My gudesire, with as gude a countenance as he could put on, made a leg,
and placed the bag of money on the table wi' a dash, like a man that
does something clever. The laird drew it to him hastily. "Is all here,
Steenie, man?"

"Your honour will find it right," said my gudesire.

"Here, Dougal," said the laird, "gie Steenie a tass of brandy, till I
count the siller and write the receipt."

But they werena weel out of the room when Sir Robert gied a yelloch that
garr'd the castle rock. Back ran Dougal; in flew the liverymen; yell on
yell gied the laird, ilk ane mair awfu' than the ither. My gudesire knew
not whether to stand or flee, but he ventured back into the parlour,
where a' was gaun hirdie-girdie--naebody to say "come in" or "gae out."
Terribly the laird roared for cauld water to his feet, and wine to cool
his throat; and 'Hell, hell, hell, and its flames', was aye the word in
his mouth. They brought him water, and when they plunged his swoln feet
into the tub, he cried out it was burning; and folks say that it
_did_ bubble and sparkle like a seething cauldron. He flung the cup at
Dougal's head and said he had given him blood instead of Burgundy; and,
sure aneugh, the lass washed clotted blood aff the carpet the neist day.
The jackanape they caa'd Major Weir, it jibbered and