y are lower in the world than they have been. This young
man does not seem to take the best way to mend matters, spending his
time among gamblers and black-legs."

"I should be sorry if it were so," said honest Meg Dods, whose
hereditary respect for the family always kept her from joining in any
scandal affecting the character of the young Laird--"My forbears, sir,
have had kindness frae his; and although maybe he may have forgotten all
about it, it wad ill become me to say ony thing of him that should not
be said of his father's son."

Mr. Bindloose had not the same motive for forbearance; he declaimed
against Mowbray as a thoughtless dissipater of his own fortune, and that
of others. "I have some reason to speak," he said, "having two of his
notes for L.100 each, which I discounted out of mere kindness and
respect for his ancient family, and which he thinks nae mair of
retiring, than he does of paying the national debt--And here has he been
raking every shop in Marchthorn, to fit out an entertainment for all the
fine folk at the Well yonder; and tradesfolk are obliged to take his
acceptances for their furnishings. But they may cash his bills that
will; I ken ane that will never advance a bawbee on ony paper that has
John Mowbray either on the back or front of it. He had mair need to be
paying the debts which he has made already, than making new anes, that
he may feed fules and flatterers."

"I believe he is likely to lose his preparations, too," said Mr.
Touchwood, "for the entertainment has been put off, as I heard, in
consequence of Miss Mowbray's illness."

"Ay, ay, puir thing!" said Dame Margaret Dods: "her health has been
unsettled for this mony a day."

"Something wrong here, they tell me," said the traveller, pointing to
his own forehead significantly.

"God only kens," replied Mrs. Dods; "but I rather suspect the heart than
the head--the puir thing is hurried here and there, and down to the
Waal, and up again, and nae society or quiet at hame; and a' thing
ganging this unthrifty gait--nae wonder she is no that weel settled."

"Well," replied Touchwood, "she is worse they say than she has been, and
that has occasioned the party at Shaws-Castle having been put off.
Besides, now this fine young lord has come down to the Well, undoubtedly
they will wait her recovery."

"A lord!" ejaculated the astonished Mrs. Dods; "a lord come down to the
Waal--they will be neither to haud nor to bind now--ance wud and a