ds；　barrows　　of　the　dead；　standing　stones；　beside　these；　the　faint；　　durable　footprints　and　handmarks　of　the　Roman；　and　an　　antiquity　older　perhaps　than　any；　and　still　living　and　active　　…　a　complete　Celtic　nomenclature　and　a　scarce…mingled　Celtic　　population。　　These　rugged　and　grey　hills　were　once　included　　in　the　boundaries　of　the　Caledonian　Forest。　　Merlin　sat　here　　below　his　apple…tree　and　lamented　Gwendolen；　here　spoke　with　　Kentigern；　here　fell　into　his　enchanted　trance。　　And　the　　legend　of　his　slumber　seems　to　body　forth　the　story　of　that　　Celtic　race；　deprived　for　so　many　centuries　of　their　　authentic　speech；　surviving　with　their　ancestral　inheritance　　of　melancholy　perversity　and　patient；　unfortunate　courage。
  The　Traquairs　of　Montroymont　（MONS　ROMANUS；　as　the　erudite　　expound　it）　had　long　held　their　seat　about　the　head…waters　of　　the　Dule　and　in　the　back　parts　of　the　moorland　parish　of　　Balweary。　　For　two　hundred　years　they　had　enjoyed　in　these　　upland　quarters　a　certain　decency　（almost　to　be　named　　distinction）　of　repute；　and　the　annals　of　their　house；　or　　what　is　remembered　of　them；　were　obscure　and　bloody。　　Ninian　　Traquair　was　'cruallie　slochtered'　by　the　Crozers　at　the　　kirk…door　of　Balweary；　anno　1482。　　Francis　killed　Simon　　Ruthven　of　Drumshoreland；　anno　1540；　bought　letters　of　　slayers　at　the　widow　and　heir；　and；　by　a　barbarous　form　of　　compounding；　married　（without　tocher）　Simon's　daughter　　Grizzel；　which　is　the　way　the　Traquairs　and　Ruthvens　came　　first　to　an　intermarriage。　　About　the　last　Traquair　and　　Ruthven　marriage；　it　is　the　business　of　this　book；　among　many　　other　things；　to　tell。
  The　Traquairs　were　always　strong　for　the　Covenant；　for　the　　King　also；　but　the　Covenant　first；　and　it　began　to　be　ill　　days　for　Montroymont　when　the　Bishops　came　in　and　the　　dragoons　at　the　heels　of　them。　　Ninian　（then　laird）　was　an　　anxious　husband　of　himself　and　the　property；　as　the　times　　required；　and　it　may　be　said　of　him；　that　he　lost　both。　　He　　was　heavily　suspected　of　the　Pentland　Hills　rebellion。　　When　　it　came　the　length　of　Bothwell　Brig；　he　stood　his　trial　　before　the　Secret　Council；　and　was　convicted　of　talking　with　　some　insurgents　by　the　wayside；　the　subject　of　the　　conversation　not　very　clearly　appearing；　and　of　the　reset　and　　maintenance　of　one　Gale；　a　gardener　man；　who　was　seen　before　　Bothwell　with　a　musket；　and　afterwards；　for　a　continuance　of　　months；　delved　the　garden　at　Montroymont。　　Matters　went　very　　ill　with　Ninian　at　the　Council；　some　of　the　lords　were　clear　　for　treason；　and　even　the　boot　was　talked　of。　　But　he　was　　spared　that　torture；　and　at　last；　having　pretty　good　　friendship　among　great　men；　he　came　off　with　a　fine　of　seven　　thousand　marks；　that　caused　the　estate　to　groan。　　In　this　　case；　as　in　so　many　others；　it　was　the　wife　that　made　the　　trouble。　　She　was　a　great　keeper　of　conventicles；　would　ride　　ten　miles　to　one；　and　when　she　was　fined；　rejoiced　greatly　to　　suffer　for　the　Kirk；　but　it　was　rather　her　husband　that　　suffered。　　She　had　their　only　son；　Francis；　baptized　　privately　by　the　hands　of　Mr。　Kidd；　there　was　that　much　the　　more　to　pay　for！　　She　could　neither　be　driven　nor　wiled　into　　the　parish　kirk；　as　for　taking　the　sacrament　at　the　hands　of　　any　Episcopalian　curate；　and　tenfold　more　at　those　of　Curate　　Haddo；　there　was　nothing　further　from　her　purposes；　and　　Montroymont　had　to　put　his　hand　in　his　pocket　month　by　month　　and　year　by　year。　　Once；　indeed；　the　little　lady　was　cast　in　　prison；　and　the　laird；　worthy；　heavy；　uninterested　man；　had　　to　ride　up　and　take　her　place；　from　which　he　was　not　　discharged　under　nine　months　and　a　sharp　fine。　　It　scarce　　seemed　she　had　any　gratitude　to　him；　she　came　out　of　gaol　　herself；　and　plunged　immediately　deeper　in　conventicles；　　resetting　recusants；　and　all　her　old；　expensive　folly；　only　　with　greater　vigour　and　openness；　because　Montroymont　was　　safe　in　the　Tolbooth　and　she　had　no　witness　to　consider。　　　When　he　was　liberated　and　came　back；　with　his　fingers　singed；　　in　December　1680；　and　late　in　the　black　night；　my　lady　was　　from　home。　　He　came　into　the　house　at　his　alighting；　with　a　　riding…rod　yet　in　his　hand；　and；　on　the　servant…maid　telling　　him；　caught　her　by　the　scruff　of　the　neck；　beat　her　　violently；　flung　her　down　in　the　passageway；　and　went　　upstairs　to　his　bed　fasting　and　without　a　light。　　It　was　　three　in　the　morning　when　my　lady　returned　from　that　　conventicle；　and；　hearing　of　the　assault　（because　the　maid　　had　sat　up　for　her；　weeping）；　went　to　their　common　chamber　　with　a　lantern　in　hand　and　stamping　with　her　shoes　so　as　to　　wake　the　dead；　it　was　supposed；　by　those　that　heard　her；　from　　a　design　to　have　it　out　with　the　good　man　at　once。　　The　　house…servants　gathered　on　the　stair；　because　it　was　a　main　　interest　with　them　to　know　which　of　these　two　was　the　better　　horse；　and　for　the　space　of　two　hours　they　were　heard　to　go　　at　the　matter；　hammer　and　tongs。　　Montroymont　alleged　he　was　　at　the　end　of　possibilities；　it　was　no　longer　within　his　　power　to　pay　the　annual　rents；　she　had　served　him　basely　by　　keeping　conventicles　while　he　lay　in　prison　for　her　sake；　his　　friends　were　weary；　and　there　was　nothing　else　before　him　but　　the　entire　loss　of　the　family　lands；　and　to　begin　life　again　　by　the　wayside　as　a　common　beggar。　　She　took　him　up　very　　sharp　and　high：　called　upon　him；　if　he　were　a　Christian？　and　　which　he　most　considered；　the　loss　of　a　few　dirty；　miry　　glebes；　or　of　his　soul？　　Presently　he　was　heard　to　weep；　and　　my　lady's　voice　to　go　on　continually　like　a　running　burn；　　only　the　words　indistinguishable；　whereupon　it　was　supposed　a　　victory　for　her　ladyship；　and　the　domestics　took　themselves　　to　bed。　　The　next　day　Traquair　appeared　like　a　man　who　had　　gone　under　the　harrows；　and　his　lady　wife　thenceforward　　continued　in　her　old　course　without　the　least　deflection。
  Thenceforward　Ninian　went　on　his　way　without　complaint；　and　　suffered　his　wife　to　go　on　hers　without　remonstrance。　　He　　still　minded　his　estate；　of　which　it　might　be　said　he　took　　daily　a　fresh　farewell；　and　counted　it　already　lost；　looking　　ruefully　on　the　acres　and　the　graves　of　his　fathers；　on　the　　moorlands　where　the　wild…fowl　consorted；　the　low；　gurgling　　pool　of　the　trout；　and　the　high；　windy　place　of　the　calling　　curlews　…　things　that　were　yet　his　for　the　day　and　would　be　　another's　to…morrow；　coming　back　again；　and　sitting　ciphering　　till　the　dusk　at　his　approaching　ruin；　which　no　device　of　　arithmetic　could　postpone　beyond　a　year　or　two。　　He　was　　essentially　the　simple　ancient　man；　the　farmer　and　　landholder；　he　would　have　been　content　to　watch　the　seasons　　come　and　go；　and　his　cattle　increase；　until　the　limit　of　age；　　he　would　have　been　content　at　any　time　to　die；　if　he　could　　have　left　the　estates　undiminished　to　an　heir…male　of　his　　ancestors；　that　duty　standing　first　in　his　instinctive　　calendar。　　And　now　he　saw　everywhere　the　image　of　the　new　　proprietor　come　to　meet　him；　and　go　sowing　and　reaping；　or　　fowling　for　his　pleasure　on　the　red　moors；　or　eating　the　very　　gooseberries　in　the　Place　garden；　and　saw　always；　on　the　　other　hand；　the　figure　of　Francis　go　forth；　a　beggar；　into　　the　broad　world。
  It　was　in　vain　the　poor　gentleman　sought　to　moderate；　took　　every　test　and　took　advantage　of　every　indulgence；　went　and　　drank　with　the　dragoons　in　Balweary；　attended　the　communion　　and　came　regularly　to　the　church　to　Curate　Haddo；　with　his　　son　beside　him。　　The　mad；　raging；　Presbyterian　zealot　of　a　　wife　at　home　made　all　of　no　avail；　and　indeed　the　house　must　　have　fallen　years　before　if　it　had　not　been　for　the　secret　　indulgence　of　the　curate；　who　had　a　great　sympathy　with　the　　laird；　and　winked　hard　at　the　doings　in　Montroymont。　　This　　curate　was　a　man　very　ill　reputed　in　the　countryside；　and　　indeed　in　all　Scotland。　　'Infamous　Haddo'　is　Shield's　　expression。　　But　Patrick　Walker　is　more　copious。　　'Curate　　Hall　Haddo；'　says　he；　SUB　VOCE　Peden；　'or　HELL　Haddo；　as　he　　was　more　justly　to　be　called；　a　pokeful　of　old　condemned　　errors　and　the　filthy　vile　lusts　of　the　flesh；　a　published　　whore…monger；　a　common　gross　drunkard；　continually　and　　godlessly　scraping　and　skirling　on　a　fiddle；　continually　　breathing　flames　against　the　remnant　of　Israel。　　But　the　Lord　　put　an　end　to　his　piping；　and　all　these　offences　were　　composed　into　one　bloody　grave。'　　No　doubt　this　was　written　　to　excuse　his　slaughter；　and　I　have　never　heard　it　claimed　　for　Walker　that　he　was　either　a　just　witness　or　an　indulgent　　judge。　　At　least；　in　a　merely　human　character；　Haddo　comes　　off　not　wholly　amiss　in　the　matter　of　these　Traquairs：　not　　that　he　showed　any　graces　of　the　Christian；　but　had　a　sort　of　　Pagan　decency；　which　might　almost　tempt　one　to　be　concerned　　about　his　sudden；　violent；　and　unprepared　fate。
  HEATHERCAT　CHAPTER　II　…　FRANCIE
  FRANCIE　was　eleven　years　old；　shy；　secret；　and　rather　　childish　of　his　age；　though　not　backward　in　schooling；　which　　had　been　pushed　on　far　by　a　private　governor；　one　M'Brair；　a　　forfeited　minister　harboured　in　that　capacity　at　Montroymont。　　　The　boy；　already　much　employed　in　secret　by　his　mother；　was　　the　most　apt　hand　conceivable　to　run　upon　a　message；　to　carry　　food　to　lurking　fugitives；　or　to　stand　sentry　on　the　skyline　　above　a　conventic