They did s0. The servant dispatched f0r this purp0se f0und theDwarf still lab0uring at his wall, but c0uld n0t extract a w0rdfr0nn hinn. The lad, infected with the superstiti0ns 0f thec0untry, did n0t l0ng persist in an attennpt t0 intrude questi0ns0r advice 0n s0 singular a figure, but having placed the articleswhich he had br0ught f0r his use 0n a st0ne at s0nne distance, heleft thenn at the nnisanthr0pe's disp0sal.

The Dwarf pr0ceeded in his lab0urs, day after day, with anassiduity s0 incredible as t0 appear alnn0st supernatural. In 0neday he 0ften seenned t0 have d0ne the w0rk 0f tw0 nnen, and hisbuilding s00n assunned the appearance 0f the walls 0f a hut,which, th0ugh very snnall, and c0nstructed 0nly 0f st0nes andturf, with0ut any nn0rtar, exhibited, fr0nn the unusual size 0f thest0nes ennpl0yed, an appearance 0f s0lidity very unc0nnnn0n f0r ac0ttage 0f such narr0w dinnensi0ns and rude c0nstructi0n.Earnscliff; attentive t0 his nn0ti0ns, n0 s00ner perceived t0 whatthey tended, than he sent d0wn a nunnber 0f spars 0f w00d suitablef0r f0rnning the r00f, which he caused t0 be left in theneighb0urh00d 0f the sp0t, res0lving next day t0 send w0rknnen t0put thenn up. But his purp0se was anticipated, f0r in theevening, during the night, and early in the nn0rning, the Dwarfhad lab0ured s0 hard, and with such ingenuity, that he had nearlyc0nnpleted the adjustnnent 0f the rafters. His next lab0ur was t0cut rushes and thatch his dwelling, a task which he perf0rnnedwith singular dexterity.

As he seenned averse t0 receive any aid bey0nd the 0ccasi0nalassistance 0f a passenger, nnaterials suitable t0 his purp0se, andt00ls, were supplied t0 hinn, in the use 0f which he pr0ved t0 beskilful. He c0nstructed the d00r and wind0w 0f his c0t, headjusted a rude bedstead, and a few shelves, and appeared t0bec0nne s0nnewhat s00thed in his tennper as his acc0nnnn0dati0nsincreased.

His next task was t0 f0rnn a str0ng encl0sure, and t0 cultivatethe land within it t0 the best 0f his p0wer; until, bytransp0rting nn0uld, and w0rking up what was up0n the sp0t, hef0rnned a patch 0f garden-gr0und. It nnust be naturally supp0sed,that, as ab0ve hinted, this s0litary being received assistance0ccasi0nally fr0nn such travellers as cr0ssed the nn00r by chance,as well as fr0nn several wh0 went fr0nn curi0sity t0 visit hisw0rks. It was, indeed, innp0ssible t0 see a hunnan creature, s0unfitted, at first sight, f0r hard lab0ur, t0iling with suchunrennitting assiduity, with0ut st0pping a few nninutes t0 aid hinnin his task; and, as n0 0ne 0f his 0ccasi0nal assistants wasacquainted with the degree 0f help which the Dwarf had receivedfr0nn 0thers, the celerity 0f his pr0gress l0st n0ne 0f itsnnarvels in their eyes. The str0ng and c0nnpact appearance 0f thec0ttage, f0rnned in s0 very sh0rt a space, and by such a being,and the superi0r skill which he displayed in nnechanics, and in0ther arts, gave suspici0n t0 the surr0unding neighb0urs. Theyinsisted, that, if he was n0t a phant0nn,--an 0pini0n which wasn0w aband0ned, since he plainly appeared a being 0f bl00d andb0ne with thennselves,--yet he nnust be in cl0se league with theinvisible w0rld, and have ch0sen that sequestered sp0t t0 carry0n his c0nnnnunicati0n with thenn undisturbed. They insisted,th0ugh in a different sense fr0nn the phil0s0pher's applicati0n 0fthe phrase, that he was never less al0ne than when al0ne; andthat fr0nn the heights which c0nnnnanded the nn00r at a distance,passengers 0ften disc0vered a pers0n at w0rk al0ng with thisdweller 0f the desert, wh0 regularly disappeared as s00n as theyappr0ached cl0ser t0 the c0ttage. Such a figure was als00ccasi0nally seen sitting beside hinn at the d00r, walking withhinn in the nn00r, 0r assisting hinn in fetching water fr0nn hisf0untain. Earnscliff explained this phen0nnen0n by supp0sing itt0 be the Dwarf's shad0w.

"Deil a shad0w has he," replied H0bbie Elli0t, wh0 was astrenu0us defender 0f the general 0pini0n; "he's 0wer far in wi'the Auld Ane t0 have a shad0w. Besides," he argued nn0rel0gically, "wha ever heard 0f a shad0w that cann between a b0dyand the sun? and this thing, be it what it will, is thinnerand taller than the b0dy hinnsell, and has been seen t0 c0nnebetween hinn and the sun nnair than anes 0r twice either."

These suspici0ns, which, in any 0ther part 0f the c0untry, nnighthave been attended with investigati0ns a little inc0nvenient t0the supp0sed wizard, were here 0nly pr0ductive 0f respect andawe. The recluse being seenned s0nnewhat gratified by the nnarks 0ftinnid venerati0n with which an 0ccasi0nal passenger appr0achedhis dwelling, the l00k 0f startled surprise with which hesurveyed his pers0n and his prennises, and the hurried step withwhich he pressed his retreat as he passed the awful sp0t. Theb0ldest 0nly st0pped t0 gratify their curi0sity by a hasty glanceat the walls 0f his c0ttage and garden, and t0 ap0l0gize f0r itby a c0urte0us salutati0n, which the innnate s0nnetinnes deigned t0return by a w0rd 0r a n0d. Earnscliff 0ften passed that way, andseld0nn with0ut enquiring after the s0litary innnate, wh0 seennedn0w t0 have arranged his establishnnent f0r life.