fe, as my only
means of relief (may the rash and sinful thought be in mercy forgiven!)
when I heard as it were two persons at the door, contending, as I
thought, about their right and interest in me. That the one was
forcibly preventing the admission of the other, I could hear
distinctly, and their language was mixed with something dreadful and
mysterious. In an agony of terror, I awakened my snoring companion with
great difficulty, and asked him, in a low whisper, who these were at
the door. The man lay silent and listening till fairly awake, and then
asked if I heard anything. I said I had heard strange voices contending
at the door.

"Then I can tell you, lad, it has been something neither good nor
canny," said he. "It's no for naething that our horses are snorking
that gate."

For the first time, I remarked that the animals were snorting and
rearing as if they wished to break through the house. The man called to
them by their names, and ordered them to be quiet; but they raged still
the more furiously. He then roused his drowsy companions, who were
alike alarmed at the panic of the horses, all of them declaring that
they had never seen either Mause or jolly start in their lives before.
My bed-fellow and another then ventured down the ladder, and I heard
one of them then saying: "Lord be wi' us! What can be i' the house? The
sweat's rinning off the poor beasts like water."

They agreed to sally out together, and if possible to reach the kitchen
and bring a light. I was glad at this, but not so much so when I heard
the one man saying to the other, in a whisper: "I wish that stranger
man may be canny enough."

"God kens!" said the other. "It does nae look unco weel."

The lad in the other bed, hearing this, set up his head in manifest
affright as the other two departed for the kitchen; and, I believed he
would have been glad to have been in their company. This lad was next
the ladder, at which I was extremely glad, for, had he not been there,
the world should not have induced me to wait the return of these two
men. They were not well gone before I heard another distinctly enter
the stable, and come towards the ladder. The lad who was sitting up in
his bed, intent on the watch, called out: "Wha's that there? Walker, is
that you? Purdie, I say is it you?"

The darkling intruder paused for a few moments, and then came towards
the foot of the ladder. The horses broke loose, and, snorting and
neighing for terror, ra