ith　his　proud　spirit；　and　fairly　asked　auld　Hutcheon　to　sit　in　his　room　with　him　for　an　hour。　　When　they　were　in　the　round；　Dougal　took　ae　tass　of　brandy　to　himsell；　and　gave　another　to　Hutcheon；　and　wished　him　all　health　and　lang　life；　and　said　that；　for　himsell；　he　wasna　lang　for　this　world；　for　that；　every　night　since　Sir　Robert's　death；　his　silver　call　had　sounded　from　the　state　chamber；　just　as　it　used　to　do　at　nights　in　his　lifetime；　to　call　Dougal　to　help　to　turn　him　in　his　bed。　　Dougal　said　that　being　alone　with　the　dead　on　that　floor　of　the　tower　（for　naebody　cared　to　wake　Sir　Robert　Redgauntlet　like　another　corpse）　he　had　never　daured　to　answer　the　call；　but　that　now　his　conscience　checked　him　for　neglecting　his　duty；　for；　'though　death　breaks　service；'　said　MacCallum；　'it　shall　never　break　my　service　to　Sir　Robert；　and　I　will　answer　his　next　whistle；　so　be　you　will　stand　by　me；　Hutcheon。'
  Hutcheon　had　nae　will　to　the　wark；　but　he　had　stood　by　Dougal　in　battle　and　broil；　and　he　wad　not　fail　him　at　this　pinch；　so　down　the　carles　sat　ower　a　stoup　of　brandy；　and　Hutcheon；　who　was　something　of　a　clerk；　would　have　read　a　chapter　of　the　Bible；　but　Dougal　would　hear　naething　but　a　blaud　of　Davie　Lindsay；　whilk　was　the　waur　preparation。
  When　midnight　came；　and　the　house　was　quiet　as　the　grave；　sure　enough　the　silver　whistle　sounded　as　sharp　and　shrill　as　if　Sir　Robert　was　blowing　it；　and　up　got　the　twa　auld　serving…men；　and　tottered　into　the　room　where　the　dead　man　lay。　　Hutcheon　saw　aneugh　at　the　first　glance；　for　there　were　torches　in　the　room；　which　showed　him　the　foul　fiend；　in　his　ain　shape；　sitting　on　the　laird's　coffin！　　Ower　he　cowped　as　if　he　had　been　dead。　　He　could　not　tell　how　lang　he　lay　in　a　trance　at　the　door；　but　when　he　gathered　himself；　he　cried　on　his　neighbour；　and　getting　nae　answer；　raised　the　house；　when　Dougal　was　found　lying　dead　within　twa　steps　of　the　bed　where　his　master's　coffin　was　placed。　　As　for　the　whistle；　it　was　gaen　anes　and　ay；　but　mony　a　time　was　it　heard　at　the　top　of　the　house　on　the　bartizan；　and　amang　the　auld　chimneys　and　turrets　where　the　howlets　have　their　nests。　　Sir　John　hushed　the　matter　up；　and　the　funeral　passed　over　without　mair　bogle…wark。
  But　when　a'　was　ower；　and　the　laird　was　beginning　to　settle　his　affairs；　every　tenant　was　called　up　for　his　arrears；　and　my　gudesire　for　the　full　sum　that　stood　against　him　in　the　rental…　book。　　Weel；　away　he　trots　to　the　castle；　to　tell　his　story；　and　there　he　is　introduced　to　Sir　John；　sitting　in　his　father's　chair；　in　deep　mourning；　with　weepers　and　hanging　cravat；　and　a　small　wallring　rapier　by　his　side；　instead　of　the　auld　broadsword　that　had　a　hundredweight　of　steel　about　it；　what　with　blade；　chape；　and　basket…hilt。　　I　have　heard　their　communing　so　often　tauld　ower；　that　I　almost　think　I　was　there　mysell；　though　I　couldna　be　born　at　the　time。　　（In　fact；　Alan；　my　companion　mimicked；　with　a　good　deal　of　humour；　the　flattering；　conciliating　tone　of　the　tenant's　address；　and　the　hypocritical　melancholy　of　the　laird's　reply。　　His　grandfather；　he　said；　had；　while　he　spoke；　his　eye　fixed　on　the　rental…book；　as　if　it　were　a　mastiff…dog　that　he　was　afraid　would　spring　up　and　bite　him）。
  'I　wuss　ye　joy；　sir；　of　the　head　seat；　and　the　white　loaf；　and　the　braid　lairdship。　　Your　father　was　a　kind　man　to　friends　and　followers；　muckle　grace　to　you；　Sir　John；　to　fill　his　shoonhis　boots；　I　suld　say；　for　he　seldom　wore　shoon；　unless　it　were　muils　when　he　had　the　gout。'
  'Aye；　Steenie；'　quoth　the　laird；　sighing　deeply；　and　putting　his　napkin　to　his　een；　'his　was　a　sudden　call；　and　he　will　be　missed　in　the　country；　no　time　to　set　his　house　in　orderweel　prepared　Godward；　no　doubt；　which　is　the　root　of　the　matterbut　left　us　behind　a　tangled　heap　to　wind；　Steenie。Hem！　　hem！　　We　maun　go　to　business；　Steenie；　much　to　do；　and　little　time　to　do　it　in。'
  Here　he　opened　the　fatal　volume。　　I　have　heard　of　a　thing　they　call　Doomsday　BookI　am　clear　it　has　been　a　rental　of　back…　ganging　tenants。
  'Stephen；'　said　Sir　John；　still　in　the　same　soft；　sleekit　tone　of　voice'Stephen　Stevenson；　or　Steenson；　ye　are　down　here　for　a　year's　rent　behind　the　handdue　at　last　term。'
  STEPHEN。　　'Please　your　honour；　Sir　John；　I　paid　it　to　your　father。'
  SIR　JOHN。　　'Ye　took　a　receipt；　then；　doubtless；　Stephen；　and　can　produce　it？'
  STEPHEN。　　'Indeed　I　hadna　time；　an　it　like　your　honour；　for　nae　sooner　had　I　set　doun　the　siller；　and　just　as　his　honour；　Sir　Robert；　that's　gaen；　drew　it　till　him　to　count　it；　and　write　out　the　receipt；　he　was　ta'en　wi'　the　pains　that　removed　him。'
  'That　was　unlucky；'　said　Sir　John；　after　a　pause。　　'But　ye　maybe　paid　it　in　the　presence　of　somebody；　I　want　but　a　TALIS　QUALIS　evidence；　Stephen。　　I　would　go　ower　strictly　to　work　with　no　poor　man。'
  STEPHEN。　　'Troth；　Sir　John；　there　was　naebody　in　the　room　but　Dougal　MacCallum　the　butler。　　But；　as　your　honour　kens；　he　has　e'en　followed　his　auld　master。
  'Very　unlucky　again；　Stephen；'　said　Sir　John；　without　altering　his　voice　a　single　note。　　（The　man　to　whom　ye　paid　the　money　is　deadand　the　man　who　witnessed　the　payment　is　dead　tooand　the　siller；　which　should　have　been　to　the　fore；　is　neither　seen　nor　heard　tell　of　in　the　repositories。　　How　am　I　to　believe　a'　this？'
  STEPHEN。　　'I　dinna；　ken；　your　honour；　but　there　is　a　bit　memorandum　note　of　the　very　coins；　for；　God　help　me！　　I　had　to　borrow　out　of　twenty　purses；　and　I　am　sure　that　ilka　man　there　set　down　will　take　his　grit　oath　for　what　purpose　I　borrowed　the　money。'
  SIR　JOHN。　　'I　have　little　doubt　ye　BORROWED　the　money；　Steenie。　It　is　the　PAYMENT　to　my　father　that　I　want　to　have　some　proof　of。'
  STEPHEN。　　'The　siller　maun　be　about　the　house；　Sir　John。　　And　since　your　honour　never　got　it；　and　his　honour　that　was　canna　have　taen　it　wi'　him；　maybe　some　of　the　family　may　have　seen　it。'
  SIR　JOHN。　　'We　will　examine　the　servants；　Stephen；　that　is　but　reasonable。'
  But　lackey　and　lass；　and　page　and　groom；　all　denied　stoutly　that　they　had　ever　seen　such　a　bag　of　money　as　my　gudesire　described。　What　was　waur；　he　had　unluckily　not　mentioned　to　any　living　soul　of　them　his　purpose　of　paying　his　rent。　　Ae　quean　had　noticed　something　under　his　arm；　but　she　took　it　for　the　pipes。
  Sir　John　Redgauntlet　ordered　the　servants　out　of　the　room；　and　then　said　to　my　gudesire；　'Now；　Steenie；　ye　see　ye　have　fair　play；　and；　as　I　have　little　doubt　ye　ken　better　where　to　find　the　siller　than　ony　other　body；　I　beg；　in　fair　terms；　and　for　your　own　sake；　that　you　will　end　this　fasherie；　for；　Stephen；　ye　maun　pay　or　flit。'
  'The　Lord　forgie　your　opinion；'　said　Stephen；　driven　almost　to　his　wit's　end'I　am　an　honest　man。'
  'So　am　I；　Stephen；'　said　his　honour；　'and　so　are　all　the　folks　in　the　house；　I　hope。　　But　if　there　be　a　knave　amongst　us；　it　must　be　he　that　tells　the　story　he　cannot　prove。'　　He　paused；　and　then　added；　mair　sternly；　'If　I　understand　your　trick；　sir；　you　want　to　take　advantage　of　some　malicious　reports　concerning　things　in　this　family；　and　particularly　respecting　my　father's　sudden　death；　thereby　to　cheat　me　out　of　the　money；　and　perhaps　take　away　my　character；　by　insinuating　that　I　have　received　the　rent　I　am　demanding。　　Where　do　you　suppose　this　money　to　be？　　I　insist　upon　knowing。'
  My　gudesire　saw　everything　look　so　muckle　against　him；　that　he　grew　nearly　desperatehowever；　he　shifted　from　one　foot　to　another；　looked　to　every　corner　of　the　room；　and　made　no　answer。
  'Speak　out；　sirrah；'　said　the　laird；　assuming　a　look　of　his　father's；　a　very　particular　ane；　which　he　had　when　he　was　angry　it　seemed　as　if　the　wrinkles　of　his　frown　made　that　selfsame　fearful　shape　of　a　horse's　shoe　in　the　middle　of　his　brow；　'Speak　out；　sir！　　I　WILL　know　your　thoughts；do　you　suppose　that　I　have　this　money？'
  'Far　be　it　frae　me　to　say　so；'　said　Stephen。
  'Do　you　charge　any　of　my　people　with　having　taken　it？'
  'I　wad　be　laith　to　charge　them　that　may　be　innocent；'　said　my　gudesire；　'and　if　there　be　any　one　that　is　guilty；　I　have　nae　proof。'
  'Somewhere　the　money　must　be；　if　there　is　a　word　of　truth　in　your　story；'　said　Sir　John；　'I　ask　where　you　think　it　isand　demand　a　correct　answer？'
  'In　HELL；　if　you　will　have　my　thoughts　of　it；'　said　my　gudesire；　driven　to　extremity；　'in　hell！　　with　your　father；　his　jackanape；　and　his　silver　whistle。'
  Down　the　stairs　he　ran　（for　the　parlour　was　nae　place　for　him　after　such　a　word）　and　he　heard　the　laird　swearing　blood　and　wounds　behind　him；　as　fast；　as　ever　did　Sir　Robert；　and　roaring　for　the　bailie　and　the　baron…officer。
  Away　rode　my　gudesire　to　his　chief　creditor　（him　they　ca'd　Laurie　Lapraik）　to　try　if　he　could　make　onything　out　of　him；　but　when　he　tauld　his　story；　he　got　but　the　worst　word　in　his　wamethief；　beggar；　and　dyvour；　were　the　saftest　terms；　and　to　the　boot　of　these　hard　terms；　Laurie　brought　up　the　auld　story　of　his　dipping　his　hand　in　the　blood　of　God's　saunts；　just　as　if　a　tenant　could　have　helped　riding　with　the　laird；　and　that　a　laird　like　Sir　Robert　Redgauntlet。　　My　gudesire　was；　by　this　time；　far　beyond　the　bounds　of　patience；　and；　while　he　and　Laurie　were　at　deil　speed　the　liars；　he　was　wanchancie　aneugh　to　abuse　Lapraik's　doctrine　as　weel　as　the　man；　ond　said　things　that　garr'd　fo