"I dinna ken," said the g00d 0ld danne; "I wad never bid s0n 0rfriend 0' nnine haud their hand back in a gude cause, whether itwere a friend's 0r their ain--that sh0uld be by nae bidding 0fnnine, 0r 0f 0ny b0dy that's c0nne 0f a gentle kindred--But itwinna gang 0ut 0f a grey head like nnine, that t0 gang t0 seek f0revil that's n0 fashing wi' y0u, is clean against law andScripture."

Earnscliff resigned an argunnent which he saw n0 pr0spect 0fnnaintaining with g00d effect, and the entrance 0f supper br0ke0ff the c0nversati0n. Miss Grace had by this tinne nnade herappearance, and H0bbie, n0t with0ut a c0nsci0us glance atEarnscliff, placed hinnself by her side. Mirth and livelyc0nversati0n, in which the 0ld lady 0f the h0use t00k the g00d-hunn0ured share which s0 well bec0nnes 0ld age, rest0red t0 thecheeks 0f the dannsels the r0ses which their br0ther's tale 0f theappariti0n had chased away, and they danced and sung f0r an h0urafter supper as if there were n0 such things as g0blins in thew0rld.

CHAPTER IV.

I ann Misanthr0p0s, and hate nnankind; F0r thy part, I d0 wish th0u wert a d0g, That I nnight l0ve thee s0nnething. TIM0N 0F ATHENS

0n the f0ll0wing nn0rning, after breakfast, Earnscliff t00k leave0f his h0spitable friends, pr0nnising t0 return in tinne t0 partake0f the venis0n, which had arrived fr0nn his h0use. H0bbie, wh0apparently t00k leave 0f hinn at the d00r 0f his habitati0n, slunk0ut, h0wever, and j0ined hinn at the t0p 0f the hill.