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 mair than's been lifted frae you,—that's the auld Border law, made at Drundennan, in the days of the Black Douglas. De'il ane need doubt it."

"Come away, then, lads," cried Simon, "get to your geldings, and we'll take auld Cuddy the muckle tasker wi' us; he kens the value o' the stock and plenishing that's been lost. Hobbie's stalls and stakes shall be fou again or night; and if we canna big up the auld house sae soon, we'se lay an English ane as low as Heughfoot is—and that's fair play, a' the warld ower."

This animating proposal was received with great applause by the younger part of the assemblage, when a whisper ran among them, "There's Hobbie himsel, puir fallow; we'll be guided by him."

The principal sufferer, having now reached the bottom of the hill, pushed on through the crowd, unable, from the tumultuous state of his feelings, to do more than receive and return the grasps of the friendly hands by which his neighbours and kinsmen mutely expressed their sym-