Ellieslaw left the chapel with a gesture of mute despair.

“Follow him, Hubert Ratcliffe,” said the Dwarf, “and inform him of his destiny.  He will rejoice—­for to breathe air and to handle gold is to him happiness.”

“I understand nothing of all this,” said Sir Frederick Langley; “but we are here a body of gentlemen in arms and authority for King James; and whether you really, sir, be that Sir Edward Mauley, who has been so long supposed dead in confinement, or whether you be an impostor assuming his name and title, we will use the freedom of detaining you, till your appearance here, at this moment, is better accounted for; we will have no spies among us—­Seize on him, my friends.”

But the domestics shrunk back in doubt and alarm.  Sir Frederick himself stepped forward towards the Recluse, as if to lay hands on his person, when his progress was suddenly stopped by the glittering point of a partisan, which the sturdy hand of Hobbie Elliot presented against his bosom.

“I’ll gar daylight shine through ye, if ye offer to steer him!” said the stout Borderer; “stand back, or I’ll strike ye through!  Naebody shall lay a finger on Elshie; he’s a canny neighbourly man, aye ready to make a friend help; and, though ye may think him a lamiter, yet, grippie for grippie, friend, I’ll wad a wether he’ll make the bluid spin frae under your nails.  He’s a teugh carle Elshie! he grips like a smith’s vice.”

“What has brought you here, Elliot?” said Mareschal; “who called on you for interference?”

“Troth, Mareschal-Wells,” answered Hobbie, “I am just come here, wi’ twenty or thretty mair o’ us, in my ain name and the King’s—­or Queen’s, ca’ they her? and Canny Elshie’s into the bargain, to keep the peace, and pay back some ill usage Ellieslaw has gien me.  A bonny breakfast the loons gae me the ither morning, and him at the bottom on’t; and trow ye I wasna ready to supper him up?—­Ye needna lay your hands on your swords, gentlemen, the house is ours wi’ little din; for the doors were open, and there had been ower muckle punch amang your folk; we took their swords and pistols as easily as ye wad shiel pea-cods.”

Mareschal rushed out, and immediately re-entered the chapel.

“By Heaven! it is true, Sir Frederick; the house is filled with armed men, and our drunken beasts are all disarmed.  Draw, and let us fight our way.”

“Binna rash—­binna rash,” exclaimed Hobbie; “hear me a bit, hear me a bit.  We mean ye nae harm; but, as ye are in arms for King James, as ye ca’ him, and the prelates, we thought it right to keep up the auld neighbour war, and stand up for the t’other ane and the Kirk; but we’ll no hurt a hair o’ your heads, if ye like to gang hame quietly.  And it will be your best way, for there’s sure news come frae Loudoun, that him they ca’ Bang, or Byng, or what is’t, has bang’d the French ships and the new king aff the coast however; sae ye had best bide content wi’ auld Nanse for want of a better Queen.”