particular eye to Alexander; and it would be:--"Let us put it in hand at
once, that the wood may be grown against Alexander's majority"; or,
"This will fall in again handsomely for Alexander's marriage." Every day
this absorption of the man's nature became more observable, with many
touching and some very blameworthy particulars. Soon the child could
walk abroad with him, at first on the terrace, hand in hand, and
afterward at large about the policies; and this grew to be my lord's
chief occupation. The sound of their two voices (audible a great way
off, for they spoke loud) became familiar in the neighbourhood; and for
my part I found it more agreeable than the sound of birds. It was pretty
to see the pair returning full of briers, and the father as flushed and
sometimes as bemuddied as the child, for they were equal sharers in all
sorts of boyish entertainment, digging in the beach, damming of streams,
and what not; and I have seen them gaze through a fence at cattle with
the same childish contemplation.

The mention of these rambles brings me to a strange scene of which I was
a witness. There was one walk I never followed myself without emotion,
so often had I gone there upon miserable errands, so much had there
befallen against the house of Durrisdeer. But the path lay handy from
all points beyond the Muckle Ross; and I was driven, although much
against my will, to take my use of it perhaps once in the two months. It
befell when Mr. Alexander was of the age of six or seven, I had some
business on the far side in the morning, and entered the shrubbery, on
my homeward way, about nine of a bright forenoon. It was that time of
year when the woods are all in their spring colours, the thorns all in
flower, and the birds in the high season of their singing. In contrast
to this merriment, the shrubbery was only the more sad, and I the more
oppressed by its associations. In this situation of spirit it struck me
disagreeably to hear voices a little way in front, and to recognise the
tones of my lord and Mr. Alexander. I pushed ahead, and came presently
into their view. They stood together in the open space where the duel
was, my lord with his hand on his son's shoulder, and speaking with some
gravity. At least, as he raised his head upon my coming, I thought I
could perceive his countenance to lighten.

"Ah!" says he, "here comes the good Mackellar. I have just been telling
Sandie the story of this place, and how there was a