h his head out of his hole. 'Ye hae
come rather early, my good lad,' said he, descending; 'I question if the
red-coats hae beat the tattoo yet, and we're not safe till then.'

'Good news cannot be told too soon,' said Waverley; and with infinite
joy communicated to him the happy tidings.

The old man stood for a moment in silent devotion, then exclaimed,
'Praise be to God!--I shall see my bairn again.'

'And never, I hope, to part with her more,' said Waverley.

'I trust in God, not, unless it be to win the means of supporting her;
for my things are but in a bruckle state;--but what signifies warld's
gear?'

'And if,' said Waverley, modestly, 'there were a situation in life which
would put Miss Bradwardine beyond the uncertainty of fortune, and in
the rank to which she was born, would you object to it, my dear Baron,
because it would make one of your friends the happiest man in the
world?' The Baron turned, and looked at him with great earnestness.
'Yes,' continued Edward, 'I shall not consider my sentence of banishment
as repealed, unless you will give me permission to accompany you to the
Duchran, and--'

The Baron seemed collecting all his dignity to make a suitable reply to
what, at another time, he would have treated as the propounding a treaty
of alliance between the houses of Bradwardine and Waverley. But his
efforts were in vain; the father was too mighty for the Baron; the pride
of birth and rank were swept away: in the joyful surprise, a slight
convulsion passed rapidly over his features as he gave way to the
feelings of nature, threw his arms around Waverley's neck, and sobbed
out,--'My son! my son!--if I had been to search the world, I would have
made my choice here.' Edward returned the embrace with great sympathy of
feeling, and for a little while they both kept silence. At length it was
broken by Edward. But Miss Bradwardine?'

'She had never a will but her old father's; besides, you are a likely
youth, of honest principles and high birth; no, she never had any other
will than mine, and in my proudest days I could not have wished a mair
eligible espousal for her than the nephew of my excellent old friend,
Sir Everard.--But I hope, young man, ye deal na rashly in this matter?
I hope ye hae secured the approbation of your ain friends and allies,
particularly of your uncle, who is in LOCO PARENTIS? Ah! we maun tak
heed o' that.' Edward assured him that Sir Everard would think himself
highly honoured