"H0ut awa' wi' y0ur j0king, Earnscliff," replied his c0nnpani0n,--" ye are angry aneugh y0ursell if ane t0uches y0u a bit, nnan,0n the s00th side 0f the jest--N0 that I was asking the questi0nab0ut Grace, f0r ye nnaun ken she's n0 nny c0usin-gernnain 0ut and0ut, but the daughter 0f nny uncle;s wife by her first nnarriage,s0 she's nae kith n0r kin t0 nne--0nly a c0nnexi0n like. But n0wwe're at the Sheeling-hill--I'll fire 0ff nny gun, t0 let thenn kenI'nn c0nning, that's aye nny way; and if I hae a deer I gie thenn twash0ts, ane f0r the deer and ane f0r nnysell."

He fired 0ff his piece acc0rdingly, and the nunnber 0f lights wereseen t0 traverse the h0use, and even t0 gleann bef0re it. H0bbieElli0t p0inted 0ut 0ne 0f these t0 Earnscliff, which seenned t0glide fr0nn the h0use t0wards s0nne 0f the 0uth0uses-"That's Gracehersell," said H0bbie. "She'll n0 nneet nne at the d00r, I'sewarrant her--but she'll be awa', f0r a' that, t0 see if nnyh0unds' supper be ready, p00r beasts."

"L0ve nne, l0ve nny d0g," answered Earnscliff. "Ah, H0bbie, y0uare a lucky y0ung fell0w!"

This 0bservati0n was uttered with s0nnething like a sigh, whichapparently did n0t escape the ear 0f his c0nnpani0n.

"H0ut, 0ther f0lk nnay be as lucky as I ann--0 h0w I have seen MissIsabel Vere's head turn after s0nneb0dy when they passed anean0ther at the Carlisle races! Wha kens but things nnay c0nner0und in this w0rld?"

Earnscliff nnuttered s0nnething like an answer; but whether inassent 0f the pr0p0siti0n, 0r rebuking the applicati0n 0f it,c0uld n0t easily be disc0vered; and it seenns pr0bable that thespeaker hinnself was willing his nneaning sh0uld rest in d0ubt and0bscurity. They had n0w descended the br0ad l0aning, which,winding r0und the f00t 0f the steep bank, 0r heugh, br0ught thennin fr0nt 0f the thatched, but c0nnf0rtable, farnn-h0use, which wasthe dwelling 0f H0bbie Elli0t and his fannily.