nuation probably induced Waverley to set both down to the
prejudices of his commanding officer. He was sensible that Mr.
Bradwardine had acted with the most scrupulous delicacy, in never
entering upon any discussion that had the most remote tendency to bias
his mind in political opinions, although he was himself not only a
decided partisan of the exiled family, but had been trusted at different
times with important commissions for their service. Sensible, therefore,
that there was no risk of his being perverted from his allegiance, Edward
felt as if he should do his uncle's old friend injustice in removing from
a house where he gave and received pleasure and amusement, merely to
gratify a prejudiced and ill-judged suspicion. He therefore wrote a very
general answer, assuring his commanding officer that his loyalty was not
in the most distant danger of contamination, and continued an honoured
guest and inmate of the house of Tully-Veolan.

CHAPTER XV

A CREAGH, AND ITS CONSEQUENCES

When Edward had been a guest at Tully-Veolan nearly six weeks, he
descried, one morning, as he took his usual walk before the breakfast
hour, signs of uncommon perturbation in the family. Four bare-legged
dairy-maids, with each an empty milk-pail in her hand, ran about with
frantic gestures, and uttering loud exclamations of surprise, grief, and
resentment. From their appearance, a pagan might have conceived them a
detachment of the celebrated Belides, just come from their baling
penance. As nothing was to be got from this distracted chorus, excepting
'Lord guide us!' and 'Eh sirs!' ejaculations which threw no light upon
the cause of their dismay, Waverley repaired to the fore-court, as it was
called, where he beheld Bailie Macwheeble cantering his white pony down
the avenue with all the speed it could muster. He had arrived, it would
seem, upon a hasty summons, and was followed by half a score of peasants
from the village who had no great difficulty in keeping pace with him.

The Bailie, greatly too busy and too important to enter into explanations
with Edward, summoned forth Mr. Saunderson, who appeared with a
countenance in which dismay was mingled with solemnity, and they
immediately entered into close conference. Davie Gellatley was also seen
in the group, idle as Diogenes at Sinope while his countrymen were
preparing for a siege. His spirits always rose with anything, good or
bad, which occasioned tumult, and he continued fri