a menacing gesture, and exclaimed, "You cold-blooded inhuman rascal! either get up instantly and lend me your assistance to recover this man, and bear him out of danger from the surf, or I will not only beat you to a mummy on the spot, but inform Magnus Troil of your thievery, that he may have you flogged till your bones are bare, and then banish you from the main island."

The lid of the chest had just sprung open as this rough address saluted Bryce's ears, and the inside presented a tempting view of wearing apparel for sea and land; shirts, plain and with lace ruffles, a silver compass, a silver-hilted sword, and other valuable articles, which the pedler well knew to be such as stir in the trade. He was half-disposed to start up, draw the sword, which was a cut-andthrust, and "darraign_battaile," as Spenser says, rather than quit his prize, or brook interruption. Being, though short, a stout square-made personage, and not much past the prime of life, having besides the better weapon, he might have given Mordaunt more trouble than his benevolent knight-errantry deserved.

Already, as with vehemence he repeated his injunctions that Bryce should forbear his plunder, and come to the assistance of the dying man, the pedler retorted with a voice. of defiance," Dinna swear, sir; dinna swear, sir-I will endure no swearing in my presence; and if you lay a finger on me, that am taking the lawful spoil of the Egyptians, I will give ye a lesson ye shall remember from this day to Yule."

Mordaunt would speedily have put the pedler's courage to the test, but a voice behind him suddenly said, "Forbear!" It was the voice of Norna of the Fitfulhead, who, during the heat of their altercation, had approached them unobserved. "Forbear," she repeated; and Bryce, do thou render Mordaunt the assistance he requires; it shall avail thee more, and it is I who say the word, than all that you could earn to-day besides."

"It is seenteen hundred linen," said the pedler, giving a tweak to one of the shirts, in that knowing manner with which matrons and judges ascertain the texture of the loom; it is seenteen hundred linen, and as strong as an it were dowlas. Nevertheless, mother, your bidding is to be done; and I would have done Mr. Mordaunt's bidding too," he added, relaxing from his note of defiance, into the deferential whining tone with which he cajoled his cus

tomers, "if he hadna made use of profane oaths, which made my very flesh grue, and caused me, in some sort, to forget myself." He then took a flask from his pocket, and approached the shipwrecked man. "It's the best of

brandy," he said ; "and if that does na cure him, I ken nought that will." So saying, he took a preliminary gulp himself, as if to show the quality of the liquor, and was about to put it to the man's mouth, when suddenly withholding his hand, he looked at Norna-" You insure me against all risk of evil from him, if I am to render him my help? Ye ken yoursel what folks say, mother.".

For all other answer, Norna took the bottle from the pedler's hand, and began to chafe the temples and throat of the shipwrecked man; directing Mordaunt how to hold his head, so as to afford him the means of disgorging the sea-water which he had swallowed during his immersion.

The pedler looked on inactive for a moment, and then said, "To be sure there is not the same risk in helping him now he is out of the water, and lying high and dry on the beach; and, to be sure, the principal danger is, to those that first touch him; and, to be sure, it is a world's pity to see how these rings are pinching the puir creature's swald fingers-they make his hand as blue as a partan's back before boiling." So saying, he seized one of the man's cold hands, which had just, by a tremulous motion, indicated the return of life, and bagan his charitable work of removing the rings, which seemed to be of some value.

"As you love your life, forbear," said Norna sternly, or I will lay that on you which shall spoil your travels through the isles."

"Now, for mercy's sake, mother, say nae mair aboot it," said the pedler, "and I'll e'en do your pleasure in your ain way. I did feel a rheumatize in my back-spauld yestreen; and it wad be a sair thing for the like of me to be debarred my quiet walk round the country, in the way of trade-making the honest penny, and helping mysell with what Providence sends on our coasts.."

66

Peace, then," said the woman- "Peace, as thou wouldst not rue it; and take this man on thy broad shoulders. His life is of value, and you will be rewarded.”

"I had muckle need," said the pedler, pensively looking at the lidless chest, and the other matters which strewed the sand; "for he has comed between me and as

mickle spreacherie as wad hae made a man of me for the rest of my life; and now it maun lie here till the next tide sweep it a' doun the Roost, after them that aught it yesterday morning."

"Fear not," said Norna, "it will come to man's use. See, there come carrion-crows, of scent as keen as thine own."

She spoke truly, for several of the people from the hamlet of Jarlshof were now hastening along the beach, to have their share in the spoil. The pedler beheld them approach with a deep groan. "Ay, ay,” he said, "the folk of Jarlshof, they will make clean wark; they are ken'd for that far and wide; they winna leave the value of a rotten ratlin; and what's waur, there isna ane o' them has mense or sense eneugh to give thanks for the mercies when they have gotten them. There is the auld Ranzelman, Neil Ronaldson, that canna walk a mile to hear the minister, but he will hirple ten if he hears of a ship embayed."

Norna, however, seemed to possess over him so complete an ascendency, that he no longer hesitated to take the man, who now gave strong symptoms of reviving existence, upon his shoulders; and, assisted by Mordaunt, trudged along the sea-beach with his burden, without further remonstrance. Ere he was borne off, the stranger pointed to the chest, and attempted to mutter something, to which Norna replied, "Enough. It shall be secured."

Advancing towards the passage called Erick's steps, by which they were to ascend the cliffs, they met the people from Jarlshof, hastening in the opposite direction. Man and woman, as they passed, reverently made room for Norna, and saluted her-not without an expression of fear upon some of their faces. She passed them a few paces, and then turning back, called aloud to the Ranzelman, who (though the practice was more common than legal) was attending the rest of the hamlet upon this plundering expedition. "Neil Ronaldson," she said, mark my words. There stands yonder a chest, from which the lid has been just prized off. Look it be brought down to your own house at Jarlshof, just as it now is. Beware of moving or touching the slightest article. He were better in his grave, that so much as looks at the contents. I speak not for nought, nor in aught will I be disobeyed."

"Your pleasure shall be done, mother," said Ronaldson.

"I warrant we will not break bulk, since siç is your bidding."

Far behind the rest of villagers, followed an old woman, talking to herself, and cursing her own decrepitude, which kept her the last of the party, yet pressing forward with all her might to get her share of the spoil.

When they met her, Mordaunt was astonished to recognise his father's old housekeeper." How now," he said, Swertha, what make you so far from home?"

"Just e'en daikering out to look after my auld master and your honour," replied Swertha, who felt like a criminal caught in the manner; for on more occasions than one, Mr. Mertoun had intimated his high disapprobation of such excursions as she was at present engaged in.

66

Have

But Mordaunt was too much engaged with his own thoughts to take much notice of her delinquency. you seen my father?" he said.

"And that I have," replied Swertha-" The gude gentleman was ganging to hirsel himsell doun Erick's steps, whilk would have been the ending of him, that is in no way a crag's-man. Sae I e'en gat him wiled away hame --and I was just seeking you that you may gang after him to the hall-house, for, to my thought, he is far frae weel.” "My father unwell?" said Mordaunt, remembering the faintness he had exhibited at the commencement of that morning's walk.

"Far frae weel-far frae weel," groaned out Swertha, with a piteous shake of the head-" white o' the gillswhite o' the gills-and him to think of coming down the riva!"

"Return home, Mordaunt," said Norna, who was listening to what had passed. “I will see all that is necessary done for this man's relief, and you will find him at the Ranzelman's when you list to inquire. You cannot help

him more than you already have done."

Mordaunt felt this was true, and, commanded Swertha to follow him home instantly, betook himself to the path homeward.

Swertha hobbled reluctantly after her young master in the same direction, until she lost sight of him on his entering the cleft of the rock, then instantly turned about, muttering to herself," Haste home, in good sooth ?-haste home, and lose the best chance of getting a new rokelay and owrelay that I have had these ten years? by my certie, na-Its seldom sic rich Godsends come on our coast-no

since the Jenny and James caine ashore in King Charlie's time."

So saying, she mended her pace as well as she could, and a willing mind making amends for frail limbs, posted on with wonderful despatch to put in for her share of the spoil. She soon reached the beach where the Ranzelman, stuffing his own pouches all the while, was exhorting the rest to part things fair, and be neighbourly, and to give to the auld and helpless a share of what was going, which he charitably remarked, would bring a blessing on the shore, and send them "mair wrecks ere winter."

THE light foot of Mordaunt Mertoun was not long of bearing him to Jarlshof. He entered the house hastily, for what he himself had observed that morning, corresponded in some degree with the ideas which Swertha's tale was calculated to excite. He found his father, however, in the inner apartment, reposing himself after his fatigue; and his first question satisfied him that the good dame had practised a little imposition to get rid of them both.

"Where is this dying man whom you have so wisely ventured your own neck to relieve ?" said the elder Mertoun to the younger.

Norna, sir," replied Mordaunt, "has taken him under her charge; she understands such matters."

"And is quack as well as witch ?" said the elder Mertoun. "With all my heart-it is a trouble saved. But I hasted home on Swertha's hint, to look out for lint and bandages, for her speech was of broken bones."

Mordaunt kept silence, well knowing his father would