't." What is it, you fool?"

"It's Calf-Gibbie, my leddy," said John, in a tone rather above the pitch
of decorous respect, on which he occasionally trespassed, confiding in
his merit as an ancient servant of the family and a faithful follower of
their humble fortunes,--"It's Calf-Gibbie, an your leddyship will hae't,
that keeps Edie Henshaw's kye down yonder at the Brigg-end,--that's him
that was Guse-Gibbie at Tillietudlem, and gaed to the wappinshaw, and
that--"

"Hold your peace, John," said the old lady, rising in dignity; "you are
very insolent to think I wad speak wi' a person like that. Let him tell
his business to you or Mrs. Headrigg."

"He'll no hear o' that, my leddy; he says them that sent him bade him gie
the thing to your leddyship's ain hand direct, or to Lord Evandale's, he
wots na whilk. But, to say the truth, he's far frae fresh, and he's but
an idiot an he were."

"Then turn him out," said Lady Margaret, "and tell him to come back
to-morrow when he is sober. I suppose he comes to crave some benevolence,
as an ancient follower o' the house."

"Like eneugh, my leddy, for he's a' in rags, poor creature."

Gudyill made another attempt to get at Gibbie's commission, which was
indeed of the last importance, being a few lines from Morton to Lord
Evandale, acquainting him with the danger in which he stood from the
practices of Olifant, and exhorting him either to instant flight, or else
to come to Glasgow and surrender himself, where he could assure him of
protection. This billet, hastily written, he intrusted to Gibbie, whom he
saw feeding his herd beside the bridge, and backed with a couple of
dollars his desire that it might instantly be delivered into the hand to
which it was addressed.

But it was decreed that Goose-Gibbie's intermediation, whether as an
emissary or as a man-at-arms, should be unfortunate to the family of
Tillietudlem. He unluckily tarried so long at the ale-house to prove if
his employer's coin was good that, when he appeared at Fairy Knowe, the
little sense which nature had given him was effectually drowned in ale
and brandy; and instead of asking for Lord Evandale, he demanded to speak
with Lady Margaret, whose name was more familiar to his ear. Being
refused admittance to her presence, he staggered away with the letter
undelivered, perversely faithful to Morton's instructions in the only
point in which it would have been well had he departed from them.
A few minutes after he