out to himself, Sir Walter stood silent a while, and then
mildly demanded to be heard; that if so much public mortification to his
parent would attend the pursuance of his claims at the present time, he
would consent to forego them, on condition of his father's solemnly
promising on his deathbed to reveal the truth, and do him tardy justice
then, but forego them altogether he would not, were his life the
forfeit. The calm firmness of his tone, it is supposed, lashed his
father into greater madness, and thus the dark deed was done.

"That the baron several times endeavored to possess himself of the
infant child of Sir Walter, also came to light in his dying moments;
that he had determined to exterminate root and branch, fearful he should
still possess some clue to his birth; he had frantically avowed, but in
his last hour, he would have given all his amassed treasure, his
greatness, his power, but for one little moment of assurance that his
grandson lived. He left him all his possessions, his lordship, his name,
but as there were none came forth to claim, they of necessity passed to
the crown."

"But the child, the son of Sir Walter--if from him our line descends, he
must have lived to manhood--why did not he demand his rights?"

"He lived, aye, and had a goodly progeny; but the fearful tale of his
father's fate related to him again and again by the faithful Edric, who
had fled from his master's murdered corse to watch over the safety of
that master's child, and warn all who had the charge of him of the fiend
in human shape who would probably seek the boy's life as he had his
father's, caused him to shun the idea of his Scottish possessions with a
loathing horror which he could not conquer; they were associated with
the loss of both his parents, for his father's murder killed his devoted
mother. He was contented to feel himself Norman in possessions as well
as in name. He received lands and honors from the Dukes of Normandy, and
at the advanced age of seventy and five, accompanied Duke William to
England. The third generation from him obtained anew Scottish
possessions, and gradually Kildrummie and its feudal tenures returned to
its original lords; but the tower had been altered and enlarged, and
except the tradition of these chambers, the fearful fate of the second
of the line has faded from the minds of his descendants, unless casually
or supernaturally recalled."

"Ha! supernaturally, sayest thou?" interrupted Nige