almost immediately afterwards the voices of men, as if in angry conversation. I knew from the distinctness of the sounds I could not be far distant; and, hastily proceeding in the direction from which they evidently proceeded, I tremulously heard the following colloquy :

"Is it

you, James Howden ?"

Yes, old sinner; and for thee there is no escape."

"There's my purse. But it's not money you want?" "No. I want that which I shall now have."

"What?"

"Your life! Your grave is already dug, and waiting for your corpse!"

"Oh God! Have mercy!"

The snow suddenly ceased, and the moon shining brightly again, I stood, very much to my surprise and amazement, within a few yards of the actors in this strange drama. One, an old man, with long white silvery hair, clad in the white greatcoat and topboots of a farmer, on horseback; the other, my veritable companion of the hostelrie, with his huge stick raised high above his head, and in the act of felling the farmer to the earth.

"Villain !" I shouted, "you are known!"

"Blasted eaves-dropper!" he savagely replied, "thy knowledge of me will not avail thee much." But, quickly drawing my stilletto from my sword-stick I parried his deadly blow, inflicting a severe wound in his right arm, from which his ponderous bludgeon dropped powerless to the earth. Penetrated by the groans of the sufferer, it quickly occurred to me that I might possibly make a friend of him in this emergency, as the old man seemed evidently dying, and it being utterly impossible for me alone to be of any assistance to him while engaged keeping the other at bay. A sudden revulsion of feeling, therefore, took possession of my mind, and, without a moment's hesitation, I thus addressed the murderer :—

"I have no ill feeling towards you. Assist me to carry this old man to the nearest house, and I solemnly swear that

the occurrences of this night shall never, in time, be revealed by me."

He seemed struck with this abrupt yet feeling offer of reconciliation on my part, and all at once the wild and savage expression of his features gave way, and, seizing my proffered hand, he eagerly exclaimed:

"I close with your offer. Swear not. I feel I can trust you without the convenant of an oath. Here, take this handkerchief, and quickly bind up my ugly wound. He is not dead. There-that will do."

Without prolonging the conversation, we instantly turned attention to the old man lying silent on the snow. Cautiously feeling his pulse, I was rejoiced to find he was not dead.

person

"Only somewhat stunned by the blow," said my companion, and, lifting him tenderly in his arms, I was struck with the affectionate solicitude with which he now examined the of him whom, but for my sudden appearance on the scene, he would most certainly have bereft of life. It was no time either to moralise or philosophise, however, as the heavens became again overcast, and the snow began to fall heavily in drifting flakes, obscuring all the landmarks of, and every object on, the While I took hold of the reins of the farmer's horse -who had stood all the while looking thoughtfully onmy companion lifted his master gently on the animal's back, and, springing up behind, held him firmly in his arms, telling me, at the same time, to lead the way to the adjacent hostelrie.

moor.

In less than half an hour we had reached the lonely publichouse, at the door of which stood the landlord, evidently bewildered at the unexpected scene before him.

"Lend us a hand, Jem," softly said my companion to the staring, stupified Boniface. "A sad accident. Hold his back steadily upright while I dismount. There-come round now to this side, and take hold of the reins of the horse while my friend and I carry him into the house."

66

"Put him on this low bed," said he to me. There,-put

this other pillow beneath his head; turn his face to the wall; Jem,-some brandy and water, hot, quick, that's a good fellow."

"He begins to breathe more naturally," he quietly said again to me, but with evident feelings of joy and thankfulness. "This brandy and water will revive him."

Very much to my astonishment and relief-for there seemed from the first to exist some strange mysterious sympathy be tween the aged sufferer and myself-the old man quickly and greedily swallowed the proffered draught, falling immediately afterwards into a deep sound slumber.

"He will be better, if not quite conscious, when he awakes,” again whispered my companion. "But if he should not?" "I will keep my vow," I eagerly replied.

"I was not thinking of that, my friend," replied he, rather pettishly. "But, to save reflections, we must get medical advice. It is a long way off to the nearest doctor; but I'll mount the horse, and away this instant." Then, as if recollecting himself" No, the landlord must fetch the doctor, while I go-no matter where."

Turning quickly round to the landlord, who stood, still bewildered, beside him, he hurriedly said, "Have your wits about you. Mount the farmer's horse this instant; ride as fast as his legs can carry him to Glamis, and bring the doctor. And, hark ye, come not back alone, but bring the leech with you. It is a case of life and death. Go!"

The landlord instantly disappeared to obey the imperious order, his authoritative friend immediately approaching where I sat beside the bed, and just opposite the pine-wood fire, which cast a lurid, uncertain light around the comfortless room, he, in more subdued and tremulous tones, said to me— —“While I leave you for a short time, you will intently watch over the sick man. There is no probability of his awakening before I return, but, should he do so, you must be guided by circumstances how to act in such an emergency. I'll be back anon,” and forthwith disappeared.

Left to my own reflections, of one thing I felt quite certain,

and it was this-that of the two it was just barely possible I might see the landlord again in the flesh. As for the other, I felt relieved I had seen the last of him, while, at the same time, I firmly resolved that, come what might, I should religiously observe my solemn, though voluntarily-given oath.

Alone, I had time to observe the aspect of the room in which, watching over the sick man, I was resolved patiently to wait till relieved in some way or another from my precious charge. The furnishings were poor and miserable enough—a few deal chairs, a large oaken table in the middle of the room, a cold stone floor, and log-fire of pine on the hearth, while a few gaudily-coloured prints of "Courtship," "Sir William Wallace," and "Robert Bruce" adorned the damp, whitewashed walls. Some large brown greybeards stood in a corner in an open press, with the usual adjuncts of glasses, tumblers and bickers for the use of the thirsty souls who frequented this roadside inn. I had hardly completed my survey of the apartment, when the noise of wheels at the door, and loud, husky voices bawling for the landlord, set my wits to work as to how I was to acquit myself in an emergency not once alluded to by my mysterious friend, and most certainly not calculated on by myself.

"Hilloa! old boy!" a voice bawled out, and repeated still ruder and louder than before. "Asleep-eh? Bring half a mutchkin o' yer best, will ye? Do you think we can wait ony langer on sic a nicht as this, wi' the drift blawin' auld wives and pike-staves, fit to smore the verra deil himsel', were he to venture out in sic a storm. Mak' haste, will ye?"

This characteristic speech relieved my anxiety considerably, for it gave me to understand that the poor frozen creatures without did not intend to enter the house, but were to swallow the mountain dew as they sat in their carts; so, quickly catching hold of a gillstoup, I filled it with Glenlivet from one of the greybeards, and, summoning up all my forgotten Scotch to my aid, I cried out, as I furiously opened the door and presented the whisky

"Ye're in an awfu' hurry the nicht, lads; ye'll hardly gi'e me time to fill the gill-stoup. See-put that in your cheek." "It's a' verra weel for you to crack awa' that way, sittin' toastin' your taes at the fireside, fin we, poor carrier bodies, maun face the storm," said the person addressed, the latter part of the sentence interrupted by the passage of the Glenlivet down his thirsty maw.

"Tak' ye the ither glass," I said to his companion on the other cart, not caring to prolong the conversation, lest, even in the darkness of the night, I might be discovered.

"Thank ye, Jem," he replied, as he tossed up his little finger. "We'll do noo till we get out o' the glen. There's a saxpence. We've a lang, lang road afore us yet. Gude nicht;" and much to my relief, "Come aither, Donald," said his companion in the leading vehicle to his horse, and slowly, away in the murky darkness, over the crisp white snow, went the lumbering, creaking waggons, while I impatiently, yet joyfully, returned to my important charge in the miserable hostelrie.

The wind had now risen to a furious gale, driving in whirling eddies the powdered snow through the chinks and cranies of the walls, and whistling in eerie cadence around the chimney top, while the log-fire on the hearth was gradually wasting away, and a settled and oppressive gloom seemed gathering sadly on everything around :

"That nicht a child micht understand
The deil had business on his hand.".

I had often read, heard repeated, and pronounced these deeply prophetic, ghostly lines; but under all the circumstances of the case, I certainly never till now experienced their full meaning and import; and so, alike forgetting my patient and my non est inventus friends, I gave myself up to the full enjoyment of the terrific and sublime.

"Well, my friend, how does your patient now?”

Whether my hair started on end I am not quite certain, but I know for a truth I started instantly to my feet; for