Hall clan lived
at Girsonfield, a little to the north of Otterburn, a farmhouse which
had belonged to the proprietors of Otterburn Castle since the time of
Queen Elizabeth. Only a few stones of it now remain, and the new house
stands on a much more exposed situation; but when Hall was its occupant,
Girsonfield stood on a plot of rich green sward on the east side of the
Otter.

Now it must have seemed to Hall of Girsonfield, the head of the chief of
the northern clans, a very clear error in judgment for any of the powers
that existed to pass him over and appoint as keeper of Redesdale his
friend and neighbour, Percival Reed. To have to bow to Reed's authority,
to obey his summons when called on to help to intercept a party of
reiving Scots or to pursue them, hot trod, into Scotland, to hear the
praises of Percival Reed in all mouths--these were bitter things to be
swallowed by him who has come down to us as "the false-hearted Ha'." And
so, having opened the door of his heart for the messengers of Satan to
come in, Hall of Girsonfield had not long to wait for his tenants.

Clearly Percival Reed had no right to be keeper, but as he did his
duties bravely and well, there was no chance of his being deposed, save
by death. Never a day or a night was there when Hall and his friend Reed
cantered together to meet some of the Scott or Elliot clan, or to rescue
a drove of cattle or sheep from them, or from some of the Croziers or
Turnbulls, but what Hall rode with murder in his heart. Reed was utterly
unconscious. There was no scheme that he did not confide to him whom he
took for his loyal friend, no success for which he did not jubilantly
claim Hall's sympathy and congratulations. He laid bare the whole of his
innocent heart, and Hall hated him all the more bitterly because of it.
"If he were not so handy with his Ferrara," brooded Hall.... "If only he
had been a little slower that time in getting out his dag when Nixon had
covered him." ... "If only his mare had not only stumbled, but had
fallen there by the peat hag when Sandy's Jock so near had him...."

To Hall of Girsonfield Providence seemed to take special care of
Percival Reed, for no other reason than to goad him to extremity. The
devils who possessed him were skilfully nursing their prey.

There came at last a day, when no raids were afoot, when Hall met some
of the Crozier clan, and opinions were frankly expressed with regard to
the keeper of Redesdale. Things had