poor farmer made a virtue of necessity, told his story, and
surrendered his gold to Jean's custody. She made him put a few shillings
in his pocket, observing, it would excite suspicion should he be found
travelling altogether penniless.

'This arrangement being made, the farmer lay down on a sort of
shake-down, as the Scotch call it, or bed-clothes disposed upon some
straw, but, as will easily be believed, slept not.

'About midnight the gang returned, with various articles of plunder, and
talked over their exploits in language which made the farmer tremble.
They were not long in discovering they had a guest, and demanded of Jean
whom she had got there.

'"E'en the winsome gudeman of Lochside, poor body," replied Jean; "he's
been at Newcastle seeking for siller to pay his rent, honest man, but
deil-be-lickit he's been able to gather in, and sae he's gaun e'en hame
wi' a toom purse and a sair heart."

"'That may be, Jean," replied one of the banditti, "but we maun ripe his
pouches a bit, and see if the tale be true or no." Jean set up her throat
in exclamations against this breach of hospitality, but without producing
any change in their determination. The farmer soon heard their stifled
whispers and light steps by his bedside, and understood they were
rummaging his clothes. When they found the money which the providence of
Jean Gordon had made him retain, they held a consultation if they should
take it or no; but the smallness of the booty, and the vehemence of
Jean's remonstrances, determined them in the negative. They caroused and
went to rest. As soon as day dawned Jean roused her guest, produced his
horse, which she had accommodated behind the hallan, and guided him for
some miles, till he was on the highroad to Lochside. She then restored
his whole property; nor could his earnest entreaties prevail on her to
accept so much as a single guinea.

'I have heard the old people at Jedburgh say, that all Jean's sons were
condemned to die there on the same day. It is said the jury were equally
divided, but that a friend to justice, who had slept during the whole
discussion, waked suddenly and gave his vote for condemnation in the
emphatic words, "Hang them a'!" Unanimity is not required in a Scottish
jury, so the verdict of guilty was returned. Jean was present, and only
said, "The Lord help the innocent in a day like this!" Her own death was
accompanied with circumstances of brutal outrage, of which poor Jean was
in