d them--I played at bogle about the bush wi' them--I cajoled
them; and if I havena gien Inch-Grabbit and Jamie Howie a bonnie begunk,
they ken themselves. Him a writer! I didna gea slapdash to them wi' our
young bra' bridegroom, to gar them haud up the market; na, na; I scared
them wi' our wild tenantry, and the Mac-Ivors, that are but ill settled
yet, till they durstna on ony errand whatsoever gang ower the
doorstane after gloaming, for fear John Heatherblutter, or some siccan
dare-the-deil, should tak a baff at them: then, on the other hand, I
beflumm'd them wi' Colonel Talbot--wad they offer to keep up the price
again' the Duke's friend? did they na ken wha was master? had they na
seen eneugh, by the sad example of mony a puir misguided unhappy body--'

'Who went to Derby, for example, Mr. Macwheeble?' said the Colonel to
him, aside.

'Oh' whisht, Colonel, for the love o' God! let that flee stick i'
the wa'. There were mony good folk at Derby; and it's ill speaking of
halters,'--with a sly cast of his eye toward the Baron, who was in a
deep reverie.

Starting out of it at once, he took Macwheeble by the button, and led
him into one of the deep window recesses, whence only fragments of their
conversation reached the rest of the party. It certainly related to
stamp-paper and parchment; for no other subject, even from the mouth of
his patron, and he, once more an efficient one, could have arrested so
deeply the Bailie's reverent and absorbed attention.

'I understand your Honour perfectly; it can be dune as easy as taking
out a decreet in absence.'

'To her and him, after my demise, and to their heirs-male,--but
preferring the second son, if God shall bless them with two, who is to
carry the name and arms of Bradwardine of that Ilk, without any other
name or armorial bearings whatsoever.'

'Tut, your Honour!' whispered the Bailie, 'I'll mak a slight jotting the
morn; it will cost but a charter of resignation IN FAVOREM; and I'll hae
it ready for the next term in Exchequer.

Their private conversation ended, the Baron was now summoned to do the
honours of Tully-Veolan to new guests. These were, Major Melville of
Cairnvreckan, and the Reverend Mr. Morton, followed by two or three
others of the Baron's acquaintances, who had been made privy to his
having again acquired the estate of his fathers. The shouts of the
villagers were also heard beneath in the courtyard; for Saunders
Saunderson, who had kept the secret fo