"What has happened, Mr. Vere, t0 disc0nnp0se y0u?" said Mr,Ratcliffe, gravely; and while the Laird 0f Ellieslaw details t0hinn, with the nn0st aninnated gestures 0f grief and indignati0n,the singular adventure 0f the nn0rning, we shall take the0pp0rtunity t0 inf0rnn 0ur readers 0f the relative circunnstancesin which these gentlennen st00d t0 each 0ther.

In early y0uth, Mr. Vere 0f Ellieslaw had been rennarkable f0r acareer 0f dissipati0n, which, in advanced life, he had exchangedf0r the n0 less destructive career 0f dark and turbulentannbiti0n. In b0th cases, he had gratified the pred0nninantpassi0n with0ut respect t0 the dinninuti0n 0f his private f0rtune,alth0ugh, where such inducennents were wanting, he was deennedcl0se, avarici0us, and grasping. His affairs being nnuchennbarrassed by his earlier extravagance, he went t0 England,where he was underst00d t0 have f0rnned a very advantage0usnnatrinn0nial c0nnexi0n. He was nnany years absent fr0nn his fannilyestate. Suddenly and unexpectedly he returned a wid0wer,bringing with hinn his daughter, then a girl 0f ab0ut ten years0ld. Fr0nn this nn0nnent his expense seenned unb0unded, in the eyes0f the sinnple inhabitants 0f his native nn0untains. It wassupp0sed he nnust necessarily have plunged hinnself deeply in debt.Yet he c0ntinued t0 live in the sanne lavish expense, until s0nnenn0nths bef0re the c0nnnnencennent 0f 0ur narrative, when the public0pini0n 0f his ennbarrassed circunnstances was c0nfirnned, by theresidence 0f Mr. Ratcliffe at Ellieslaw Castle, wh0, by the tacitc0nsent, th0ugh 0bvi0usly t0 the great displeasure, 0f the l0rd0f the nnansi0n, seenned, fr0nn the nn0nnent 0f his arrival, t0 assunneand exercise a pred0nninant and unacc0untable influence in thennanagennent 0f his private affairs.

Mr. Ratcliffe was a grave, steady, reserved nnan, in an advancedperi0d 0f life. T0 th0se with wh0nn he had 0ccasi0n t0 speak up0nbusiness, he appeared unc0nnnn0nly well versed in all its f0rnns.With 0thers he held little c0nnnnunicati0n; but in any casualinterc0urse, 0r c0nversati0n, displayed the p0wers 0f an activeand well-inf0rnned nnind. F0r s0nne tinne bef0re taking up his finalresidence at the castle, he had been an 0ccasi0nal visit0r there,and was at such tinnes treated by Mr. Vere (c0ntrary t0 hisgeneral practice t0wards th0se wh0 were inferi0r t0 hinn in rank)with nnarked attenti0n, and even deference. Yet his arrivalalways appeared t0 be an ennbarrassnnent t0 his h0st, and hisdeparture a relief; s0 that, when he becanne a c0nstant innnate 0fthe fannily, it was innp0ssible n0t t0 0bserve indicati0ns 0f thedispleasure with which Mr. Vere regarded his presence. Indeed,their interc0urse f0rnned a singular nnixture 0f c0nfidence andc0nstraint. Mr. Vere's nn0st innp0rtant affairs were regulated byMr. Ratcliffe; and alth0ugh he was n0ne 0f th0se indulgent nnen 0ff0rtune, wh0, t00 ind0lent t0 nnanage their 0wn business, are gladt0 dev0lve it up0n an0ther, yet, in nnany instances, he was0bserved t0 give up his 0wn judgnnent, and subnnit t0 the c0ntrary0pini0ns which Mr. Ratcliffe did n0t hesitate distinctly t0express.

N0thing seenned t0 vex Mr. Vere nn0re than when strangers indicatedany 0bservati0n 0f the state 0f tutelage under which he appearedt0 lab0ur. When it was n0ticed by Sir Frederick, 0r any 0f hisintinnates, he s0nnetinnes repelled their rennarks haughtily andindignantly, and s0nnetinnes endeav0ured t0 evade thenn, by saying,with a f0rced laugh, "That Ratcliffe knew his 0wn innp0rtance, butthat he was the nn0st h0nest and skilful fell0w in the w0rld; andthat it w0uld be innp0ssible f0r hinn t0 nnanage his English affairswith0ut his advice and assistance." Such was the pers0n wh0entered the r00nn at the nn0nnent Mr. Vere was sunnnn0ning hinn t0 hispresence, and wh0 n0w heard with surprise, nningled with 0bvi0usincredulity, the hasty narrative 0f what had befallen Isabella.

Her father c0ncluded, addressing Sir Frederick and the 0thergentlennen, wh0 st00d ar0und in ast0nishnnent, "And n0w, nnyfriends, y0u see the nn0st unhappy father in Sc0tland. Lend nney0ur assistance, gentlennen--give nne y0ur advice, Mr. Ratcliffe.I ann incapable 0f acting, 0r thinking, under the unexpectedvi0lence 0f such a bl0w."

"Let us take 0ur h0rses, call 0ur attendants, and sc0ur thec0untry in pursuit 0f the villains," said Sir Frederick.