The Black Dwarf

hat o’er the m

to Keel

an of the Mo

the heat

N L

h streamed upon the great granite column to which they now approached, they discovered a form, apparently human, but of a size much less than ordinary, which moved slowly among the large grey stones, not like a person intending to journey onward, but with the slow, irregular, flitting movement of a being who hovers around some spot of mela

n the weapon which he was about to raise to the aim —“fo

ane) afore she comes this length — God! she’s in nae hurry,” continued he, growing bolder from his companion’s confidence, and the little notice the apparition seemed to take of them. “She hirples like a hen

ases, at least. A soft road is a road through quagmire and

emonstrances, continued to advance on the path they had originall

ange personal deformity. The young sportsman hailed this extraordinary appearance twice, without receiving any answer, or attending to the pinches by which his companion endeavoured to intimate that their best course was to walk on, without giving farther disturbance to a being of such singular and pr

your journey? Will you follow us home (‘God forbid!’ ejaculated

l in the deepest of the Tarras

xalted by passion. “I want not your guidance — I want not your lodging — it is fiv

d,” said

hed in this very moss about five years syne,” answered his supers

he breath of your human bodies poisons the air around me — the s

d should bear sie fearfu’ ill-will to the livin

to suffer under some strong affliction; common

— that noose for woodcocks — that common disguise for man-traps — that bait which the wretched idiot who swallows, will

pable of judging of your own situation — you will perish in this

’t,” said Hobbie; “let the ghaist

rnscliff meditating to lay hold on him, he added, “And your blood be upon yours, i

his attempt upon a being thus armed, and holding such desperate language, especially as it was plain he would have little aid from his companion, who had fairly left him to settle matters with the apparition as he could, and had proceeded a few paces on his way homeward.

ce from the pillar that gave name to the moor. Each made his private comments on the scene they had witnessed, until Hobbie Elliot suddenly exclaimed, “Weel, I’

f misanthropy,” said Earnscliff; f

spiritual creature, then?”

?— No,

may be a live thing — and yet I dinna ken, I w

will ride over tomorrow and see wha

han to your house by twa mile,— hadna ye better e’en gae hame wi’ me, and we’ll send the callant on the powny to te

not willingly have either the servants be anxious, or puss forfeit her sup

’ll gae hame to Heugh-foot? They’ll be r

g at her wheel — and ye see yon other light that’s gaun whiddin’ back and forrit through amang the windows? that’s my cousin, Grace Armstrong, — she’s twice as clever about the house as my sisters, and sae they say themsells, for they’re good-natured lasses as ever trode on heather; but they confess them

friend, in having so m

no that it’s ony concern of mine in particular,— but I heard the priest of St. John’s, and our minister, bargaining about it at the Winter fair, and troth they baith spak very weel — Now, the priest says it’s unlawful to marry ane’s co

as free as God made it by the Levitical law; so, Hobbie, there ca

stion about Grace, for ye maun ken she’s no my cousin-germain out and out, but the daughter of my uncle;s wife by her first marriage, so she’s nae kith nor kin to me — only a connexion li

ointed out one of these to Earnscliff, which seemed to glide from the house towards some of the outhouses-“That’s Grace hersell,” said Hob

red Earnscliff. “Ah, Hobbie,

thing like a sigh, which apparently di

abel Vere’s head turn after somebody when they passed ane another at

seems probable that the speaker himself was willing his meaning should rest in doubt and obscurity. They had now descended the broad loaning, which, winding round

was a little bustle among three handsome young women, each endeavouring to devolve upon another the task of ushering the stranger into the apartment, while probably all were a

room, damp and dismal enough compared with the lodgings of the yeomanry of our days, but which, when well lighted up with a large sparkling fire of turf and bog-wood, seemed to Earnscliff a most comfortable exchange for the darkness and bleak blast of the hill. Kindly and repeatedly was he welcomed by the venerable old dame, the mistress of the family, who, dressed in her coif and pinners, her c

r some addition to the evening meal, his grand-dame and sisters opened t

itchen-fire for a’ that Hobbie h

gathering peat, if it was weel blaw

ure up the secret seeds of fire, without any generous

” said a third; “if I were him, I would bring hame a black craw, r

the augury of which was confuted by the good-humoured laugh on the lower part of his counten

ashamed to come back frae the hill without a buck hanging

retorted Hobbie; “they’ve cleared the country o’

you cannot, Hobbie,” said the eldest si

a braw thing for a man to be out a’ day, and frighted — na, I winna say that neither but mistrysted wi’ bogles in the hame-coming, an’ then to hae to

d all,— for great was the regard then paid, and perh

et wi’ the thing — And there was but ae bogle, n

the mysterious being at Mucklestane-Moor, concluding, he could not conjecture what on earth it could

eary on him! he ne’er brought gude to these lands or the indwellers. My father aften tauld me he was seen in the year o’ the bloody fight at Marston-Moor, and then again in Montrose’s troubles, and again before the rout o’ Dunbar, and, in my ain time, he was seen about the time o’ Bothwell-Brigg, and

maniac, and had no commission from the invisible world to announce either war or evil. But his opinion

ade in your house wi’ your father’s bloodshed, and wi’ law-pleas, and losses sinsyne;— and you are the flower of the flock, and the lad that will build up the auld bigging again (if it be His will) to be an honour

would not have me be afraid of going

re a friend’s or their ain — that should be by nae bidding of mine, or of ony body that’s come of a gentle kindred — But it winna

ot without a conscious glance at Earnscliff, placed himself by her side. Mirth and lively conversation, in which the old lady of the house took the good-humoured share which so well becomes old age, restored