ld give testimony
against popery, and prelacy, and quakerism, and independency, and
supremacy, and erastianism, and antinomianism, and a' the errors of the
church?'

'And that's a' your Whiggery,' reechoed the Jacobite heroine; 'that's a'
your Whiggery, and your presbytery, ye cut-lugged, graning carles! What!
d' ye think the lads wi' the kilts will care for yer synods and yer
presbyteries, and yer buttock-mail, and yer stool o' repentance?
Vengeance on the black face o't! mony an honester woman's been set upon
it than streeks doon beside ony Whig in the country. I mysell--'

Here John Mucklewrath, who dreaded her entering upon a detail of personal
experience, interposed his matrimonial authority. 'Gae hame, and be
d--(that I should say sae), and put on the sowens for supper.'

'And you, ye doil'd dotard,' replied his gentle helpmate, her wrath,
which had hitherto wandered abroad over the whole assembly, being at once
and violently impelled into its natural channel, 'YE stand there
hammering dog-heads for fules that will never snap them at a Highlandman,
instead of earning bread for your family and shoeing this winsome young
gentleman's horse that's just come frae the north! I'se warrant him nane
of your whingeing King George folk, but a gallant Gordon, at the least o'
him.'

The eyes of the assembly were now turned upon Waverley, who took the
opportunity to beg the smith to shoe his guide's horse with all speed, as
he wished to proceed on his journey; for he had heard enough to make him
sensible that there would be danger in delaying long in this place. The
smith's eyes rested on him with a look of displeasure and suspicion, not
lessened by the eagerness with which his wife enforced Waverley's
mandate. 'D'ye hear what the weel-favoured young gentleman says, ye
drunken ne'er-do-good?'

'And what may your name be, sir?' quoth Mucklewrath.

'It is of no consequence to you, my friend, provided I pay your labour.'

'But it may be of consequence to the state, sir,' replied an old farmer,
smelling strongly of whisky and peat-smoke; 'and I doubt we maun delay
your journey till you have seen the Laird.'

'You certainly,' said Waverley, haughtily, 'will find it both difficult
and dangerous to detain me, unless you can produce some proper
authority.'

There was a pause and a whisper among the crowd--'Secretary
Murray'--'Lord Lewis Gordon'--'Maybe the Chevalier himsell!' Such were
the surmises that passed hurriedly amon