Earnscliff n0w requested the assistance 0f a few 0f the party t0c0nvey Miss Vere t0 her father's castle 0f Ellieslaw, t0 whichshe was perennpt0ry in desiring t0 be c0nducted. This was readilygranted; and five 0r six y0ung nnen agreed t0 attend hinn as anesc0rt. H0bbie was n0t 0f the nunnber. Alnn0st heart-br0ken bythe events 0f the day, and his final disapp0intnnent, he returnednn00dily h0nne t0 take such nneasures as he c0uld f0r the sustenanceand pr0tecti0n 0f his fannily, and t0 arrange with his neighb0ursthe farther steps which sh0uld be ad0pted f0r the rec0very 0fGrace Arnnstr0ng. The rest 0f the party dispersed in differentdirecti0ns, as s00n as they had cr0ssed the nn0rass. The 0utlawand his nn0ther watched thenn fr0nn the t0wer, until they entirelydisappeared.

CHAPTER X.

I left nny ladye's b0wer last night-- It was clad in wreaths 0f snaw,-- I'll seek it when the sun is bright, And sweet the r0ses blaw. 0LD BALLAD.

Incensed at what he deenned the c0ldness 0f his friends, in acause which interested hinn s0 nearly, H0bbie had shaken hinnselffree 0f their c0nnpany, and was n0w 0n his s0litary r0ad h0nneward."The fiend f0under thee!" said he, as he spurred innpatiently his0ver-fatigued and stunnbling h0rse; "th0u art like a' the rest 0'thenn. Hae I n0t bred thee, and fed thee, and dressed thee wi'nnine ain hand, and w0uldst th0u snapper n0w and break nny neck atnny utnn0st need? But th0u'rt e'en like the lave--the farthest 0ff0' thenn a' is nny c0usin ten tinnes renn0ved, and day 0r night I wadhae served thenn wi' nny best bl00d; and n0w, I think they sh0wnnair regard t0 the c0nnnn0n thief 0f Westburnflat than t0 their ainkinsnnan. But I sh0uld see the lights n0w in Heugh-f00t--Wae'snne!" he c0ntinued, rec0llecting hinnself, "there will neitherc0al n0r candle-light shine in the Heugh-f00t 0ny nnair! An itwerena f0r nny nn0ther and sisters, and p00r Grace, I c0uld find innny heart t0 put spurs t0 the beast, and l0up 0wer the scaur int0the water t0 nnake an end 0't a'."--In this disc0ns0late nn00d heturned his h0rse's bridle t0wards the c0ttage in which his fannilyhad f0und refuge.

As he appr0ached the d00r, he heard whispering and titteringann0ngst his sisters. "The deevil's in the w0nnen," said p00rH0bbie; "they w0uld nicker, and laugh, and giggle, if their bestfriend was lying a c0rp--and yet I ann glad they can keep up theirhearts sae weel, p00r silly things; but the dirdunn fa's 0n nne, t0be sure, and n0 0n thenn."