antique　style；　and　withal　a　notorious　smuggler。　　〃I　mind　when　I　was　a
  bairn　getting　mony　a　skelp　and　being　shoo'd　to　bed　like　pou'try；〃　she
  would　say。　　〃That　would　be　when　the　lads　and　their　bit　kegs　were　on　the
  road。　　We've　had　the　riffraff　of　two…three　counties　in　our　kitchen；
  mony's　the　time；　betwix'　the　twelve　and　the　three；　and　their　lanterns
  would　be　standing　in　the　forecourt；　ay；　a　score　o'　them　at　once。　　But
  there　was　nae　ungodly　talk　permitted　at　Cauldstaneslap。　　My　faither　was
  a　consistent　man　in　walk　and　conversation；　just　let　slip　an　aith；　and
  there　was　the　door　to　ye！　　He　had　that　zeal　for　the　Lord；　it　was　a　fair
  wonder　to　hear　him　pray；　but　the　family　has　aye　had　a　gift　that　way。〃
  This　father　was　twice　married；　once　to　a　dark　woman　of　the　old　Ellwald
  stock；　by　whom　he　had　Gilbert；　presently　of　Cauldstaneslap；　and；
  secondly；　to　the　mother　of　Kirstie。　　〃He　was　an　auld　man　when　he　married
  her；　a　fell　auld　man　wi'　a　muckle　voice　…　you　could　hear　him　rowting
  from　the　top　o'　the　Kye…skairs；〃　she　said；　〃but　for　her；　it　appears　she
  was　a　perfit　wonder。　　It　was　gentle　blood　she　had；　Mr。　Archie；　for　it
  was　your　ain。　　The　country…side　gaed　gyte　about　her　and　her　gowden　hair。
  Mines　is　no　to　be　mentioned　wi'　it；　and　there's　few　weemen　has　mair　hair
  than　what　I　have；　or　yet　a　bonnier　colour。　　Often　would　I　tell　my　dear
  Miss　Jeannie　…　that　was　your　mother；　dear；　she　was　cruel　ta'en　up　about
  her　hair；　it　was　unco'　tender；　ye　see　…　'Houts；　Miss　Jeannie；'　I　would
  say；　'just　fling　your　washes　and　your　French　dentifrishes　in　the　back　o'
  the　fire；　for　that's　the　place　for　them；　and　awa'　down　to　a　burn　side；
  and　wash　yersel'　in　cauld　hill　water；　and　dry　your　bonny　hair　in　the
  caller　wind　o'　the　muirs；　the　way　that　my　mother　aye　washed　hers；　and
  that　I　have　aye　made　it　a　practice　to　have　wishen　mines　…　just　you　do
  what　I　tell　ye；　my　dear；　and　ye'll　give　me　news　of　it！　　Ye'll　have　hair；
  and　routh　of　hair；　a　pigtail　as　thick's　my　arm；'　I　said；　‘and　the
  bonniest　colour　like　the　clear　gowden　guineas；　so　as　the　lads　in　kirk'll
  no　can　keep　their　eyes　off　it！'　　Weel；　it　lasted　out　her　time；　puir
  thing！　　I　cuttit　a　lock　of　it　upon　her　corp　that　was　lying　there　sae
  cauld。　　I'll　show　it　ye　some　of　thir　days　if　ye're　good。　　But；　as　I　was
  sayin'；　my　mither　…　〃
  On　the　death　of　the　father　there　remained　golden…haired　Kirstie；　who
  took　service　with　her　distant　kinsfolk；　the　Rutherfords；　and　black…a…
  vised　Gilbert；　twenty　years　older；　who　farmed　the　Cauldstaneslap；
  married；　and　begot　four　sons　between　1773　and　1784；　and　a　daughter；　like
  a　postscript；　in　'97；　the　year　of　Camperdown　and　Cape　St。　Vincent。　　It
  seemed　it　was　a　tradition　in　the　family　to　wind　up　with　a　belated　girl。
  In　1804；　at　the　age　of　sixty；　Gilbert　met　an　end　that　might　be　called
  heroic。　　He　was　due　home　from　market　any　time　from　eight　at　night　till
  five　in　the　morning；　and　in　any　condition　from　the　quarrelsome　to　the
  speechless；　for　he　maintained　to　that　age　the　goodly　customs　of　the
  Scots　farmer。　　It　was　known　on　this　occasion　that　he　had　a　good　bit　of
  money　to　bring　home；　the　word　had　gone　round　loosely。　　The　laird　had
  shown　his　guineas；　and　if　anybody　had　but　noticed　it；　there　was　an　ill…
  looking；　vagabond　crew；　the　scum　of　Edinburgh；　that　drew　out　of　the
  market　long　ere　it　was　dusk　and　took　the　hill…road　by　Hermiston；　where
  it　was　not　to　be　believed　that　they　had　lawful　business。　　One　of　the
  country…side；　one　Dickieson；　they　took　with　them　to　be　their　guide；　and
  dear　he　paid　for　it！　　Of　a　sudden　in　the　ford　of　the　Broken　Dykes；　this
  vermin　clan　fell　on　the　laird；　six　to　one；　and　him　three　parts　asleep；
  having　drunk　hard。　　But　it　is　ill　to　catch　an　Elliott。
  For　a　while；　in　the　night　and　the　black　water　that　was　deep　as　to　his
  saddle…girths；　he　wrought　with　his　staff　like　a　smith　at　his　stithy；　and
  great　was　the　sound　of　oaths　and　blows。　　With　that　the　ambuscade　was
  burst；　and　he　rode　for　home　with　a　pistol…ball　in　him；　three　knife
  wounds；　the　loss　of　his　front　teeth；　a　broken　rib　and　bridle；　and　a
  dying　horse。　　That　was　a　race　with　death　that　the　laird　rode！　　In　the
  mirk　night；　with　his　broken　bridle　and　his　head　swimming；　he　dug　his
  spurs　to　the　rowels　in　the　horse's　side；　and　the　horse；　that　was　even
  worse　off　than　himself；　the　poor　creature！　screamed　out　loud　like　a
  person　as　he　went；　so　that　the　hills　echoed　with　it；　and　the　folks　at
  Cauldstaneslap　got　to　their　feet　about　the　table　and　looked　at　each
  other　with　white　faces。　　The　horse　fell　dead　at　the　yard　gate；　the　laird
  won　the　length　of　the　house　and　fell　there　on　the　threshold。　　To　the　son
  that　raised　him　he　gave　the　bag　of　money。　　〃Hae；〃　said　he。　　All　the　way
  up　the　thieves　had　seemed　to　him　to　be　at　his　heels；　but　now　the
  hallucination　left　him　…　he　saw　them　again　in　the　place　of　the　ambuscade
  …　and　the　thirst　of　vengeance　seized　on　his　dying　mind。　　Raising　himself
  and　pointing　with　an　imperious　finger　into　the　black　night　from　which　he
  had　come；　he　uttered　the　single　command；　〃Brocken　Dykes；〃　and　fainted。
  He　had　never　been　loved；　but　he　had　been　feared　in　honour。　　At　that
  sight；　at　that　word；　gasped　out　at　them　from　a　toothless　and　bleeding
  mouth；　the　old　Elliott　spirit　awoke　with　a　shout　in　the　four　sons。
  〃Wanting　the　hat；〃　continues　my　author；　Kirstie；　whom　I　but　haltingly
  follow；　for　she　told　this　tale　like　one　inspired；　〃wanting　guns；　for
  there　wasna　twa　grains　o'　pouder　in　the　house；　wi'　nae　mair　weepons　than
  their　sticks　into　their　hands；　the　fower　o'　them　took　the　road。　　Only
  Hob；　and　that　was　the　eldest；　hunkered　at　the　doorsill　where　the　blood
  had　rin；　fyled　his　hand　wi'　it　…　and　haddit　it　up　to　Heeven　in　the　way
  o'　the　auld　Border　aith。　　‘Hell　shall　have　her　ain　again　this　nicht！'　he
  raired；　and　rode　forth　upon　his　earrand。〃　　It　was　three　miles　to　Broken
  Dykes；　down　hill；　and　a　sore　road。　　Kirstie　has　seen　men　from　Edinburgh
  dismounting　there　in　plain　day　to　lead　their　horses。　　But　the　four
  brothers　rode　it　as　if　Auld　Hornie　were　behind　and　Heaven　in　front。
  Come　to　the　ford；　and　there　was　Dickieson。　　By　all　tales；　he　was　not
  dead；　but　breathed　and　reared　upon　his　elbow；　and　cried　out　to　them　for
  help。　　It　was　at　a　graceless　face　that　he　asked　mercy。　　As　soon　as　Hob
  saw；　by　the　glint　of　the　lantern；　the　eyes　shining　and　the　whiteness　of
  the　teeth　in　the　man's　face；　〃Damn　you！〃　says　he；　〃ye　hae　your　teeth；
  hae　ye？〃　and　rode　his　horse　to　and　fro　upon　that　human　remnant。　　Beyond
  that；　Dandie　must　dismount　with　the　lantern　to　be　their　guide；　he　was
  the　youngest　son；　scarce　twenty　at　the　time。　　〃A'　nicht　long　they　gaed
  in　the　wet　heath　and　jennipers；　and　whaur　they　gaed　they　neither　knew
  nor　cared；　but　just　followed　the　bluid　stains　and　the　footprints　o'
  their　faither's　murderers。　　And　a'　nicht　Dandie　had　his　nose　to　the
  grund　like　a　tyke；　and　the　ithers　followed　and　spak'　naething；　neither
  black　nor　white。　　There　was　nae　noise　to　be　heard；　but　just　the　sough　of
  the　swalled　burns；　and　Hob；　the　dour　yin；　risping　his　teeth　as　he　gaed。〃
  With　the　first　glint　of　the　morning　they　saw　they　were　on　the　drove
  road；　and　at　that　the　four　stopped　and　had　a　dram　to　their　breakfasts；
  for　they　knew　that　Dand　must　have　guided　them　right；　and　the　rogues
  could　be　but　little　ahead；　hot　foot　for　Edinburgh　by　the　way　of　the
  Pentland　Hills。　　By　eight　o'clock　they　had　word　of　them　…　a　shepherd　had
  seen　four　men　〃uncoly　mishandled〃　go　by　in　the　last　hour。　　〃That's　yin　a
  piece；〃　says　Clem；　and　swung　his　cudgel。　　〃Five　o'　them！〃　says　Hob。
  〃God's　death；　but　the　faither　was　a　man！　　And　him　drunk！〃　　And　then
  there　befell　them　what　my　author　termed　〃a　sair　misbegowk；〃　for　they
  were　overtaken　by　a　posse　of　mounted　neighbours　come　to　aid　in　the
  pursuit。　　Four　sour　faces　looked　on　the　reinforcement。　　〃The　Deil's
  broughten　you！〃　said　Clem；　and　they　rode　thenceforward　in　the　rear　of
  the　party　with　hanging　heads。　　Before　ten　they　had　found　and　secured　the
  rogues；　and　by　three　of　the　afternoon；　as　they　rode　up　the　Vennel　with
  their　prisoners；　they　were　aware　of　a　concourse　of　people　bearing　in
  their　midst　something　that　dripped。　　〃For　the　boady　of　the　saxt；〃
  pursued　Kirstie；　〃wi'　his　head　smashed　like　a　hazelnit；　had　been　a'　that
  nicht　in　the　chairge　o'　Hermiston　Water；　and　it　dunting　it　on　the
  stanes；　and　grunding　it　on　the　shallows；　and　flinging　the　deid　thing
  heels…ower…hurdie　at　the　Fa's　o'　Spango；　and　in　the　first　o'　the　day；
  Tweed　had　got　a　hold　o'　him　and　carried　him　off　like　a　wind；　for　it　was
  uncoly　swalled；　and　raced　wi'　him；　bobbing　under　brae…sides；　and　was
  long　playing　with　the　creature　in　the　drumlie　lynns　under　the　castle；
  and　at　the　hinder　end　of　all　cuist　him　up　on　the　starling　of
  Crossmichael　brig。　　Sae　there　they　were　a'thegither　at　last　（for
  Dickieson　had　been　brought　in　on　a　cart　long　syne）；　and　folk　could　see
  what　mainner　o'man　my　brither　ha