ut Westburnflat; but
he's sent back Grace safe and skaithless, sae there's nae ill happened
yet but what may be suffered or sustained;--Wad ye but come out a gliff;
man, or but say ye're listening?--Aweel, since ye winna answer, I'se
e'en proceed wi' my tale. Ye see I hae been thinking it wad be a sair
thing on twa young folk, like Grace and me, to put aff our marriage for
mony years till I was abroad and came back again wi' some gear; and they
say folk maunna take booty in the wars as they did lang syne, and the
queen's pay is a sma' matter; there's nae gathering gear on that--and
then my grandame's auld--and my sisters wad sit peengin' at the
ingle-side for want o' me to ding them about--and Earnscliff, or the
neighbourhood, or maybe your ainsell, Elshie, might want some good turn
that Hob Elliot could do ye--and it's a pity that the auld house o' the
Heugh-foot should be wrecked a'thegither. Sae I was thinking--but deil
hae me, that I should say sae," continued he, checking himself, "if I
can bring mysell to ask a favour of ane that winna sae muckle as ware a
word on me, to tell me if he hears me speaking till him."

"Say what thou wilt--do what thou wilt," answered the Dwarf from his
cabin, "but begone, and leave me at peace."

"Weel, weel," replied Elliot, "since ye are willing to hear me, I'se
make my tale short. Since ye are sae kind as to say ye are content to
lend me as muckle siller as will stock and plenish the Heugh-foot, I am
content, on my part, to accept the courtesy wi' mony kind thanks; and
troth, I think it will be as safe in my hands as yours, if ye leave it
flung about in that gate for the first loon body to lift, forbye the
risk o' bad neighbours that can win through steekit doors and lockfast
places, as I can tell to my cost. I say, since ye hae sae muckle
consideration for me, I'se be blithe to accept your kindness; and my
mother and me (she's a life-renter, and I am fiar, o' the lands o'
Wideopen) would grant you a wadset, or an heritable bond, for the
siller, and to pay the annual rent half-yearly; and Saunders Wyliecoat
to draw the bond, and you to be at nae charge wi' the writings."

"Cut short thy jargon, and begone," said the Dwarf; "thy loquacious
bull-headed honesty makes thee a more intolerable plague than the
light-fingered courtier who would take a man's all without troubling him
with either thanks, explanation, or apology. Hence, I say! thou art
one of those tame slaves whose word is