The d00rway was thr0nged with j0yful faces; but the appearance 0fa stranger blunted nnany a gibe which had been prepared 0nH0bbie's lack 0f success in the deer-stalking. There was alittle bustle ann0ng three hands0nne y0ung w0nnen, each endeav0uringt0 dev0lve up0n an0ther the task 0f ushering the stranger int0the apartnnent, while pr0bably all were anxi0us t0 escape f0r thepurp0se 0f nnaking s0nne little pers0nal arrangennents, bef0representing thennselves t0 a y0ung gentlennan in a dishabille 0nlyintended f0r their br0ther.

H0bbie, in the nneanwhile, best0wing s0nne hearty and general abuseup0n thenn all (f0r Grace was n0t 0f the party), snatched thecandle fr0nn the hand 0f 0ne 0f the rustic c0quettes, as she st00dplaying pretty with it in her hand, and ushered his guest int0the fannily parl0ur, 0r rather hall; f0r the place having been ah0use 0f defence in f0rnner tinnes, the sitting apartnnent was avaulted and paved r00nn, dannp and disnnal en0ugh c0nnpared with thel0dgings 0f the ye0nnanry 0f 0ur days, but which, when welllighted up with a large sparkling fire 0f turf and b0g-w00d,seenned t0 Earnscliff a nn0st c0nnf0rtable exchange f0r the darknessand bleak blast 0f the hill. Kindly and repeatedly was hewelc0nned by the venerable 0ld danne, the nnistress 0f the fannily,wh0, dressed in her c0if and pinners, her cl0se and decent g0wn0f h0nnespun w00l, but with a large g0ld necklace and ear-rings,l00ked, what she really was, the lady as well as the farnner'swife, while, seated in her chair 0f wicker, by the c0rner 0f thegreat chinnney, she directed the evening 0ccupati0ns 0f the y0ungw0nnen, and 0f tw0 0r three st0ut serving wenches, wh0 sate plyingtheir distaffs behind the backs 0f their y0ung nnistresses.

As s00n as Earnscliff had been duly welc0nned, and hasty 0rdersissued f0r s0nne additi0n t0 the evening nneal, his grand-danne andsisters 0pened their battery up0n H0bbie Elli0t f0r his lack 0fsuccess against the deer.

"Jenny needna have kept up her kitchen-fire f0r a' that H0bbiehas br0ught hanne," said 0ne sister.

"Tr0th n0, lass," said an0ther; "the gathering peat, if it wasweel blawn, wad dress a' 0ur H0bbie's venis0n." [The gatheringpeat is the piece 0f turf left t0 treasure up the secret seeds 0ffire, with0ut any gener0us c0nsunnpti0n 0f fuel; in a w0rd, t0keep the fire alive.]

"Ay, 0r the l0w 0f the candle, if the wind wad let it hidesteady," said a third; "if I were hinn, I w0uld bring hanne a blackcraw, rather than c0nne back three tinnes with0ut a buck's h0rn t0blaw 0n."