a chair, and appeared sunk in a profound reverie.

"What has happened? What have you done?" was hastily demanded by
Craigengelt and Bucklaw in the same moment.

"Nothing!" was the short and sullen answer.

"Nothing! and left us, determined to call the old villain to account
for all the injuries that you, we, and the country have received at his
hand? Have you seen him?" "I have," replied the Master of Ravenswood.

"Seen him--and come away without settling scores which have been so long
due?" said Bucklaw; "I would not have expected that at the hand of the
Master of Ravenswood."

"No matter what you expected," replied Ravenswood; "it is not to you,
sir, that I shall be disposed to render any reason for my conduct."

"Patience, Bucklaw," said Craigengelt, interrupting his companion, who
seemed about to make an angry reply. "The Master has been interrupted in
his purpose by some accident; but he must excuse the anxious curiosity
of friends who are devoted to his cause like you and me."

"Friends, Captain Craigengelt!" retorted Ravenswood, haughtily; "I am
ignorant what familiarity passed betwixt us to entitle you to use that
expression. I think our friendship amounts to this, that we agreed to
leave Scotland together so soon as I should have visited the
alienated mansion of my fathers, and had an interview with its present
possessor--I will not call him proprietor."

"Very true, Master," answered Bucklaw; "and as we thought you had in
mind to do something to put your neck in jeopardy, Craigie and I very
courteously agreed to tarry for you, although ours might run some risk
in consequence. As to Craigie, indeed, it does not very much signify: he
had gallows written on his brow in the hour of his birth; but I should
not like to discredit my parentage by coming to such an end in another
man's cause."

"Gentlemen," said the Master of Ravenswood, "I am sorry if I have
occasioned you any inconvenience, but I must claim the right of judging
what is best for my own affairs, without rendering explanations to any
one. I have altered my mind, and do not design to leave the country this
season."

"Not to leave the country, Master!" exclaimed Craigengelt. "Not to go
over, after all the trouble and expense I have incurred--after all the
risk of discovery, and the expense of freight and demurrage!"

"Sir," replied the Master of Ravenswood, "when I designed to leave this
country in this haste, I made use of your obliging offer