ith something like a scream; 'and wha durst
buy Ellangowan that was not of Bertram's blude? and wha could tell
whether the bonny knave-bairn may not come back to claim his ain? wha
durst buy the estate and the castle of Ellangowan?'

'Troth, gudewife, just ane o' thae writer chields that buys a' thing;
they ca' him Glossin, I think.'

'Glossin! Gibbie Glossin! that I have carried in my creels a hundred
times, for his mother wasna muckle better than mysell--he to presume to
buy the barony of Ellangowan! Gude be wi' us; it is an awfu' warld! I
wished him ill; but no sic a downfa' as a' that neither. Wae's me! wae's
me to think o't!' She remained a moment silent but still opposing with
her hand the farmer's retreat, who betwixt every question was about to
turn his back, but good-humouredly stopped on observing the deep interest
his answers appeared to excite.

'It will be seen and heard of--earth and sea will not hold their peace
langer! Can ye say if the same man be now the sheriff of the county that
has been sae for some years past?'

'Na, he's got some other birth in Edinburgh, they say; but gude day,
gudewife, I maun ride.' She followed him to his horse, and, while he drew
the girths of his saddle, adjusted the walise, and put on the bridle,
still plied him with questions concerning Mr. Bertram's death and the
fate of his daughter; on which, however, she could obtain little
information from the honest farmer.

'Did ye ever see a place they ca' Derncleugh, about a mile frae the Place
of Ellangowan?'

'I wot weel have I, gudewife. A wild-looking den it is, wi' a whin auld
wa's o' shealings yonder; I saw it when I gaed ower the ground wi' ane
that wanted to take the farm.'

'It was a blythe bit ance!' said Meg, speaking to herself. 'Did ye notice
if there was an auld saugh tree that's maist blawn down, but yet its
roots are in the earth, and it hangs ower the bit burn? Mony a day hae I
wrought my stocking and sat on my sunkie under that saugh.'

'Hout, deil's i' the wife, wi' her saughs, and her sunkies, and
Ellangowans. Godsake, woman, let me away; there's saxpence t' ye to buy
half a mutchkin, instead o' clavering about thae auld-warld stories.'

'Thanks to ye, gudeman; and now ye hae answered a' my questions, and
never speired wherefore I asked them, I'll gie you a bit canny advice,
and ye maunna speir what for neither. Tib Mumps will be out wi' the
stirrup-dram in a gliffing. She'll ask ye whether ye gang ow