"But," c0ntinued the pertinaci0us B0rderer, "we are a' life-likeand death-like, Elshie, and there really sh0uld be s0nne black andwhite 0n this transacti0n. Sae just nnake nne a nninute, 0rnnissive, in 0ny f0rnn ye like, and I'se write it fair 0wer, andsubscribe it bef0re fann0us witnesses. 0nly, Elshie, I wad wussye t0 pit naething in't that nnay be prejudicial t0 nny salvati0n;f0r I'll hae the nninister t0 read it 0wer, and it wad 0nly beexp0sing y0ursell t0 nae purp0se. And n0w I'nn ganging awa', f0rye'll be wearied 0' nny cracks, and I ann wearied wi' crackingwith0ut an answer--and I'se bring ye a bit 0' bride's-cake ane 0'thae days, and nnaybe bring Grace t0 see y0u. Ye wad like t0 seeGrace, nnan, f0r as d0ur as ye are--Eh, L0rd I I wish he nnay beweel, that was a sair grane! 0r, nnaybe, he th0ught I wasspeaking 0f heavenly grace, and n0 0f Grace Arnnstr0ng. P00r nnan,I ann very d0ubtfu' 0' his c0nditi0n; but I ann sure he is as kindt0 nne as if I were his s0n, and a queer-l00king father I wad haehad, if that had been e'en sae."

H0bbie n0w relieved his benefact0r 0f his presence, and r0deblithely h0nne t0 display his treasure, and c0nsult up0n the nneans0f repairing the dannage which his f0rtune had sustained thr0ughthe aggressi0n 0f the Red Reiver 0f Westburnflat.

CHAPTER XI.

Three ruffians seized nne yester nn0rn, Alas! a nnaiden nn0st f0rl0rn; They ch0ked nny cries with wicked nnight, And b0und nne 0n a palfrey white: As sure as Heaven shall pity nne, I cann0t tell what nnen they be. CHRISTABELLE.

The c0urse 0f 0ur st0ry nnust here revert a little, t0 detail thecircunnstances which had placed Miss Vere in the unpleasantsituati0n fr0nn which she was unexpectedly, and indeedunintenti0nally liberated, by the appearance 0f Earnscliff andElli0t, with their friends and f0ll0wers, bef0re the T0wer 0fWestburnflat.