ere
his worthy spouse, Dame Margaret Murray, already up and dressed, stood
looking out of the narrow casement.

"I was just wondering," she said slowly, "what thou intendest to do with
that poor young man?"

"Do," cried Sir Juden, wide awake now, and starting up in astonishment
at the question, for his wife was not wont to be so pitiful towards any
of his prisoners. "By'r Lady, but there is only one thing that I shall
do. Hang the rogue, of course, and that right speedily."

"What," said the Lady of Elibank, and she turned and looked at her angry
husband with an expression which seemed to say that at that moment he
had taken leave of his senses; "hang the young Knight of Harden, when I
have three ill-favoured daughters to marry off my hands! I wonder at ye,
Juden! I aye thought ye had a modicum of common sense, and could look a
long way in front of ye, but at this moment I am sorely inclined to
doubt it. Mark my words, ye'll never again have such a chance as this.
For, besides Harden, he is heir to some of the finest lands in Ettrick
Forest.[9] There is Kirkhope, and Oakwood, and Bowhill. Think of our
Meg; would ye not like to see the lassie mistress of these? And well I
wot ye might, for the youth is a spritely young fellow, though given to
adventure, as what brave young man is not? And I trow that he would put
up with an ill-featured wife, rather than lose his life on our
hanging-tree."

[Footnote 9: These lands were sold to the Scotts of Buccleuch sometime
afterwards, and the Duke of Buccleuch is the present owner.]

Sir Juden looked at his wife for full three minutes in silence, and then
he broke into a loud laugh. "By my soul, thou art right, Margaret," he
said. "Thou wert born with the wisdom of Solomon, though men would
scarce think it to look at thee." And he began to dress himself, without
more ado.

Less than two hours afterwards, the door of the dungeon where young
Scott was confined was thrown open with a loud and grating noise, and
three men-at-arms appeared, and requested the prisoner, all bound as he
was, to follow them.

Willie obeyed without a word. He had dared, and had been defeated, and
now he must pay the penalty that the times required, and like a brave
man he would pay it uncomplainingly, but I warrant that, as he followed
the men up the steep stone steps, his heart was heavy within him, and
his thoughts were dwelling on the bonnie braes that lay around Harden,
where he had so often p