“I have been abroad for many years.  Is his health so much deranged?”

“Ay, and his affairs an’ a’.  The creditors have entered into possession o’ the estate, and it’s for sale.  And some that made the maist o’ him, they’re sairest on him now.  I’ve a sma’ matter due mysell, but I’d rather have lost it than gane to turn the auld man out of his house, and him just dying.”

“Ay, but,” said the parish clerk, “Factor Glossin wants to get rid of the auld laird, and drive on the sale, for fear the heir-male should cast up; for if there’s an heir-male, they canna sell the estate for auld Ellangowan’s debt.”

“He had a son born a good many years ago,” said the stranger.  “He is dead, I suppose?”

“Dead!  I’se warrant him dead lang syne.  He hasna’ been heard o’ these twenty years.”

“I wat weel it’s no twenty years,” said the landlady.  “It’s no abune seventeen in this very month.  It made an unco noise ower a’ this country.  The bairn disappeared the very day that Supervisor Kennedy came by his end.  He was a daft dog!  Oh, an’ he could ha’ handen’ off the smugglers!  Ye see, sir, there was a king’s sloop down in Wigton Bay, and Frank Kennedy, he behoved to have her up to chase Dirk Hatteraick’s lugger.  He was a daring cheild, and fought his ship till she blew up like peelings of ingans.”

“And Mr. Bertram’s child,” said the stranger, “what is all this to him?”

“Ou, sir, the bairn aye held an unca wark wi’ the supervisor, and it was generally thought he went on board the vessel with him.”

“No, no; you’re clean out there, Luckie!  The young laird was stown awa’ by a randy gipsy woman they ca’d Meg Merrilies,” said the deacon.

But the presenter would not have this version, and told a tale of how an astrologer, an ancient man, had appeared at the time of the heir’s birth, and told the laird that the Evil One would have power over the knave bairn, and he charged him that the bairn should be brought up in the ways of piety, and should aye hae a godly minister at his elbow; and the aged man vanished away, and so they engaged Dominie Sampson to be with him morn and night.  But even that godly minister had failed to protect the child, who was last seen being carried off by Frank Kennedy on his horse to see a king’s ship chase a smuggler.  The excise-man’s body was found at the foot of the crags at Warroch Point, but no one knew what had become of the child.

A smart servant entered with a note for the stranger, saying, “The family at Ellangowan are in great distress, sir, and unable to receive any visits.”

“I know it,” said his master.  “And now, madam, if you will have the goodness to allow me to occupy the parlour——­”

“Certainly, sir,” said Mrs. MacCandlish, and hastened to light the way.

“And wha’ may your master be, friend?”

“What!  That’s the famous Colonel Mannering, sir, from the East Indies.”