The　squire　left　the　chamber　abashed。
  ‘‘It　were　vain；''　continued　Lord　Lacy；　‘‘to　expect　that　courtesy　from　a
  mountain　churl　which　even　my　own　followers　can　forget。　Yet；　before　thou
  drawest　thy　brand　（for　the　intruder　laid　his　hand　upon　the　hilt　of　his
  sword）；　thou　wilt　do　well　to　reflect　that　I　came　with　a　safe…conduct　from
  thy　king；　and　have　no　time　to　waste　in　brawls　with　such　as　thou。''
  ‘‘From　_my_　king…from　my　king！''　re…echoed　the　mountaineer。　‘‘I　care
  not　that　rotten　truncheon　（striking　the　shattered　spear　furiously　on　the
  ground）　for　the　King　of　Fife　and　Lothian。　But　Habby　of　Cessford　will　be
  here　belive；　and　we　shall　soon　know　if　he　will　permit　an　English　churl　to
  occupy　his　hostelrie。''
  Having　uttered　these　words；　accompanied　with　a　lowering　glance　from
  under　his　shaggy　black　eye…brows；　he　turned　on　his　heel；　and　left　the　house
  with　his　two　followers；…they　mounted　their　horses；　which　they　had　tied
  to　an　outer　fence；　and　vanished　in　an　instant。
  ‘‘Who　is　this　discourteous　ruffian？''　said　Lord　Lacy　to　the　Franklin；
  who　had　stood　in　the　most　violent　agitation　during　this　whole　scene。
  ‘‘His　name；　noble　lord；　is　Adam　Kerr　of　the　Moat；　but　he　is　commonly
  called　by　his　companions　the　Black　Rider　of　Cheviot。　I　fear；　I　fear；　he
  comes　hither　for　no　good…but　if　the　Lord　of　Cessford　be　near；　he　will　not
  dare　offer　any　unprovoked　outrage。''
  ‘‘I　have　heard　of　that　chief；''　said　the　Baron…‘‘let　me　know　when　he
  approaches；　and　do　thou；　Rodulph　（to　the　eldest　yeoman）；　keep　a　strict
  watch。　Adelbert　（to　the　page）；　attend　to　arm　me。''　The　page　bowed；
  and　the　Baron　withdrew　to　the　chamber　of　the　Lady　Isabella；　to　explain
  the　cause　of　the　disturbance。
  * * * * * * *
  No　more　of　the　proposed　tale　was　ever　written；　but　the　author's
  purpose　was；　that　it　should　turn　upon　a　fine　legend　of　superstition；　which
  is　current　in　the　part　of　the　Borders　where　he　had　his　residence；　where；
  in　the　reign　of　Alexander　III。　of　Scotland；　that　renowned　person　Thomas
  of　Hersildoune；　called　the　Rhymer；　actually　flourished。　This　personage；
  the　Merlin　of　Scotland；　and　to　whom　some　of　the　adventures　which　the
  British　bards　assigned　to　Merlin　Caledonius；　or　the　Wild；　have　been
  transferred　by　tradition；　was；　as　is　well　known；　a　magician；　as　well　as　a
  poet　and　prophet。　He　is　alleged　still　to　live　in　the　land　of　Faery；　and　is
  expected　to　return　at　some　great　convulsion　of　society；　in　which　he　is　to
  act　a　distinguished　part…a　tradition　common　to　all　nations；　as　the　belief
  of　the　Mahomedans　respecting　their　twelfth　Imaum　demonstrates。
  Now；　it　chanced　many　years　since；　that　there　lived　on　the　Borders　a
  jolly；　rattling　horse…cowper；　who　was　remarkable　for　a　reckless　and　fearless
  temper；　which　made　him　much　admired；　and　a　little　dreaded；　amongst　his
  neighbours。　One　moonlight　night；　as　he　rode　over　Bowden　Moor；　on　the
  west　side　of　the　Eildon　Hills；　the　scene　of　Thomas　the　Rhymer's　prophecies；
  and　often　mentioned　in　his　story；　having　a　brace　of　horses　along　with　him
  which　he　had　not　been　able　to　dispose　of；　he　met　a　man　of　venerable
  appearance；　and　singularly　antique　dress；　who；　to　his　great　surprise；　asked
  the　price　of　his　horses；　and　began　to　chaffer　with　him　on　the　subject。　To
  Canobie　Dick；　for　so　shall　we　call　our　Border　dealer；　a　chap　was　a　chap；
  and　he　would　have　sold　a　horse　to　the　devil　himself；　without　minding　his
  cloven　hoof；　and　would　have　probably　cheated　Old　Nick　into　the　bargain。
  The　stranger　paid　the　price　they　agreed　on；　and　all　that　puzzled　Dick　in
  the　transaction　was；　that　the　gold　which　he　received　was　in　unicorns；
  bonnet…pieces；　and　other　ancient　coins；　which　would　have　been　invaluable　to
  collectors；　but　were　rather　troublesome　in　modern　currency。　It　was　gold；
  however；　and　therefore　Dick　contrived　to　get　better　value　for　the　coin；
  than　he　perhaps　gave　to　his　customer。　By　the　command　of　so　good　a
  merchant；　he　brought　horses　to　the　same　spot　more　than　once；　the
  purchaser　only　stipulating　that　he　should　always　come　by　night；　and　alone。
  I　do　not　know　whether　it　was　from　mere　curiosity；　or　whether　some　hope
  of　gain　mixed　with　it；　but　after　Dick　had　sold　several　horses　in　this　way；
  he　began　to　complain　that　dry　bargains　were　unlucky；　and　to　hint；　that
  since　his　chap　must　live　in　the　neighbourhood；　he　ought；　in　the　courtesy
  of　dealing；　to　treat　him　to　half…a…mutchkin。
  ‘‘You　may　see　my　dwelling　if　you　will；''　said　the　stranger；　‘‘but　if　you
  lose　courage　at　what　you　see　there；　you　will　rue　it　all　your　life。''
  Dicken；　however；　laughed　the　warning　to　scorn；　and　having　alighted　to
  secure　his　horse；　he　followed　the　stranger　up　a　narrow　foot…path；　which　led
  them　up　the　hills　to　the　singular　eminence　stuck　betwixt　the　most　southern
  and　the　centre　peaks；　and　called　from　its　resemblance　to　such　an　animal
  in　its　form；　the　Lucken　Hare。　At　the　foot　of　this　eminence；　which　is
  almost　as　famous　for　witch　meetings　as　the　neighbouring　windmill　of
  Kippilaw；　Dick　was　somewhat　startled　to　observe　that　his　conductor
  entered　the　hill　side　by　a　passage　or　cavern；　of　which　he　himself；　though
  well　acquainted　with　the　spot；　had　never　seen　or　heard。
  ‘‘You　may　still　return；''　said　his　guide；　looking　ominously　back　upon
  him；…but　Dick　scorned　to　show　the　white　feather；　and　on　they　went。
  They　entered　a　very　long　range　of　stables；　in　every　stall　stood　a　coal…black
  horse；　by　every　horse　lay　a　knight　in　coal…black　armour；　with　a　drawn
  sword　in　his　hand；　but　all　were　as　silent；　hoof　and　limb；　as　if　they　had
  been　cut　out　of　marble。　A　great　number　of　torches　lent　a　gloomy　lustre
  to　the　hall；　which；　like　those　of　the　Caliph　Vathek；　was　of　large　dimensions。
  At　the　upper　end；　however；　they　at　length　arrived；　where　a　sword
  and　horn　lay　on　an　antique　table。
  ‘‘He　that　shall　sound　that　horn　and　draw　that　sword；''　said　the　stranger；
  who　now　intimated　that　he　was　the　famous　Thomas　of　Hersildoune；　‘‘shall；
  if　his　heart　fail　him　not；　be　king　over　all　broad　Britain。　So　speaks　the
  tongue　that　cannot　lie。　But　all　depends　on　courage；　and　much　on　your
  taking　the　sword　or　the　horn　first。''
  Dick　was　much　disposed　to　take　the　sword；　but　his　bold　spirit　was
  quailed　by　the　supernatural　terrors　of　the　hall；　and　he　thought　to　unsheath
  the　sword　first；　might　be　construed　into　defiance；　and　give　offence　to　the
  powers　of　the　Mountain。　He　took　the　bugle　with　a　trembling　hand；　and
  a　feeble　note；　but　loud　enough　to　produce　a　terrible　answer。　Thunder
  rolled　in　stunning　peals　through　the　immense　hall；　horses　and　men　started
  to　life；　the；　steeds　snorted；　stamped；　grinded　their　bits；　and　tossed　on　high
  their　heads…the　warriors　sprung　to　their　feet；　clashed　their　armour；　and
  brandished　their　swords。　Dick's　terror　was　extreme　at　seeing　the　whole
  army；　which　had　been　so　lately　silent　as　the　grave；　in　uproar；　and　about　to
  rush　on　him。　He　dropped　the　horn；　and　made　a　feeble　attempt　to　seize
  the　enchanted　sword；　but　at　the　same　moment　a　voice　pronounced　aloud
  the　mysterious　words：…
  ‘‘Woe　to　the　coward；　that　ever　he　was　born；
  Who　did　not　draw　the　sword　before　he　blew　the　horn！''
  At　the　same　time　a　whirlwind　of　irresistible　fury　howled　through　the
  long　hall；　bore　the　unfortunate　horse…jockey　clear　out　of　the　mouth　of　the
  cavern；　and　precipitated　him　over　a　steep；　bank　of　loose　stones；　where　the
  shepherds　found　him　the　next　morning；　with　just　breath　sufficient　to　tell
  his　fearful　tale；　after　concluding　which　he　expired。
  This　legend；　with　several　variations；　is　found　in　many　parts　of　Scotland
  and　England…the　scene　is　sometimes　laid　in　some　favourite　glen　of　the
  Highlands；　sometimes　in　the　deep　coal…mines　of　Northumberland　and
  Cumberland；　which　run　so　far　beneath　the　ocean。　It　is　also　to　be　found
  in　Reginald　Scott's　book　on　Witchcraft；　which　was　written　in　the　sixteenth
  century。　It　would　be　in　vain　to　ask　what　was　the　original　of　the　tradition。
  The　choice　between　the　horn　and　sword　may；　perhaps；　include　as　a　moral；
  that　it　is　fool…hardy　to　awaken　danger　before　we　have　arms　in　our　hands
  to　resist　it。
  Although　admitting　of　much　poetical　ornament；　it　is　clear　that　this
  legend　would　have　formed　but　an　unhappy　foundation　for　a　prose　story；
  and　must　have　degenerated　into　a　mere　fairy　tale。　Dr。　John　Leyden　has
  beautifully　introduced　the　tradition　in　his　Scenes　of　Infancy：…
  Mysterious　Rhymer；　doomed　by　fate's　decree；
  Still　to　revisit　Eildon's　fated　tree；
  Where　oft　the　swain；　at　dawn　of　Hallow…day；
  Hears　thy　fleet　barb　with　wild　impatience　neigh
  Say　who　is　he；　with　summons　long　and　high；
  Shall　bid　the　charmed　sleep　of　ages　fly；
  Roll　the　long　sound　through　Eildon's　caverns　vast；
  While　each　dark　warrior　kindles　at　the　blast？
  The　horn；　the　falchion　grasp　with　mighty　hand；
  And　peal　proud　Arthur's　march　from　Fairy…land？
  Scenes　of　Infancy；　_Part　I。_
  …
  In　the　same　cabinet　with　the　preceding　fragment；　the　following　occurred
  among　other　_disjecta　membra。_　It　seems　to　be　an　attempt　at　a　tale　of　a
  different　description　from　the　last；　but　was　almost　instantly　abandoned。
  The　introduction　points　out　the　time　of　the　composition　to　have　been　about
  the　end　of　the　eighteenth　century。
  THE　LORD　OF　ENNERDALE。
  IN　A　FRAGMENT　OF　A　LETTE