n Traquair when your Lordship has company at the
castle, you hae only to gie Christie's Will a nod, and there will be
nae want o' venison here for a month. There's no a stouthriever in a'
Liddesdale, be he baron or bondsman, knight or knave, but Christie's
Will will bring to you at your Lordship's bidding, and a week's biding;
and if there's ony want o' a braw leddie," (speaking low,) "to keep the
bonny house o' Traquair in order, an' she canna be got for a carlin
keeper, a wink to Christie's Will will bring her here, unscathed by sun
or wind, in suner time than a priest could tie the knot, or a lawyer
loose it. Is sic a man a meet burden for a fir wuddy, my Lord?"

"By my faith, your husband hath good properties about him," replied
Traquair. "There is not one in these parts that knoweth not Christie's
Will; but I fear it is to that fame he oweth his danger. He is the last
of the old Armstrongs; and there is a saying hereaway, that

'Comes Liddesdale's peace
When Armstrongs cease;'

and since, good dame, it would ill become the King's Warden to let slip
the noose that is to catch peace and order for our march territories,
yet Will is too noble a fellow for hanging. Go thy ways. I'll see
him--I'll see him."

"Hech na, my Lord," answered Margaret; "I'll no budge frae this house
till ye say ye'll save him this ance. I'll be caution and surety for
him mysel', that he'll never again dine in Gilnockie on another man's
surloins. His clan has been lang a broken ane; but I am now the head
o't, and it has aye been the practice in our country to make the head
answer for the rest o' the body."

"Well, that is the practice of the hangman at Jedburgh," replied
Traquair, laughing. "But go thy ways. Will shall not hang yet. He hath
a job to do for me. There's a 'lurdon'[D] of the north he must steal for
me. I'll take thy bond."

[D] It has been attempted to derive this word from "Lord,"
(paper lord); but we have no faith in the etymology; it was, however,
often applied to the wigged and gowned judges, as being, in their
appearance, more like women than men--for "lurdon," though applied
to a male, is generally used for a lazy woman.--ED.

"Gie me your hand then, my Lord," said the determined dame; "and the
richest lurdon o' the land he'll bring to your Lordship, as surely as
he ever took a Cumberland cow--whilk, as your Lordship kens, is nae
rieving."

Traquair gave the good dame his hand, and she departed, wonde