he apartment. It was long before he returned, and
when he did, his manner indicated wonder and agitation.

"I am nae seer gin ye be Edie Ochiltree o' Carrick's company in the
Forty-twa, or gin ye be the deil in his likeness!"

"And what makes ye speak in that gait?" demanded the astonished
mendicant.

"Because my lord has been in sic a distress and surpreese as I neer saw
a man in my life. But he'll see you--I got that job cookit. He was like a
man awa frae himsell for mony minutes, and I thought he wad hae swarv't
a'thegither,--and fan he cam to himsell, he asked fae brought the
packet--and fat trow ye I said?"

"An auld soger," says Edie--"that does likeliest at a gentle's door; at
a farmer's it's best to say ye're an auld tinkler, if ye need ony
quarters, for maybe the gudewife will hae something to souther."

"But I said neer ane o' the twa," answered Francis; "my lord cares
as little about the tane as the tother--for he's best to them that can
souther up our sins. Sae I e'en said the bit paper was brought by an
auld man wi' a long fite beard--he might be a capeechin freer for fat I
ken'd, for he was dressed like an auld palmer. Sae ye'll be sent up for
fanever he can find mettle to face ye."

"I wish I was weel through this business," thought Edie to himself;
"mony folk surmise that the Earl's no very right in the judgment, and
wha can say how far he may be offended wi' me for taking upon me sae
muckle?"

But there was now no room for retreat--a bell sounded from a distant part
of the mansion, and Macraw said, with a smothered accent, as if already
in his master's presence, "That's my lord's bell!--follow me, and step
lightly and cannily, Edie."

Edie followed his guide, who seemed to tread as if afraid of being
overheard, through a long passage, and up a back stair, which admitted
them into the family apartments. They were ample and extensive,
furnished at such cost as showed the ancient importance and splendour
of the family. But all the ornaments were in the taste of a former and
distant period, and one would have almost supposed himself traversing
the halls of a Scottish nobleman before the union of the crowns. The
late Countess, partly from a haughty contempt of the times in which
she lived, partly from her sense of family pride, had not permitted the
furniture to be altered or modernized during her residence at Glenallan
House. The most magnificent part of the decorations was a valuable
collection o