ield to his wishes; so, when they had arrived at
the centre of an extensive plantation, he caused her to alight, and
dismissing, as it was now nearly dark, the chaise and driver, proceeded
to conduct her, as he said, on foot to the cottage which he had
provided. He half dragged her a few paces from the road, or rather track
through the wood, and, unveiling all at once the fiend within him,
proceeded to open and undisguised violence. But, sir," said the old man,
with emphasis, "he thought himself alone, but he was not alone--God saw
him, and had marked his proceedings; and God sent a deliverer, in the
person of him owre by yonder" (pointing to the mills). "God sent Sam
Rogers, with a guid oak plank, to free the captive, and make the captor
flee for his life: in short, sir--for I fear I have tired ye wi' my
lang-winded story--Sam, by the mercy of God, had just landed at Dornoch
as we sailed from it; and being on his way to Edderachills, for the very
purpose of asking my Nelly in marriage, he had pushed on, meaning to
travel all night across the country, when the providential occurrence
took place. Weel, we went now to Ely, where we remained for a time--old
grandy, that is, myself, my son, and his family; but times became tight
there, and the family kept still increasing; so at last we got
acquainted with the worthy gentleman, Mr Yool, to whom all these great
works and these neat cottages belong, and he brought us up here, and set
us down comfortably, where not only my son-in-law, but every wean, male
and female, above seven years of age, can earn its own clothes and
subsistence. We are now, sir, in comparative affluence; and all this,
sir, is owing to these improvements in machinery and in chemistry, which
at one time drove me from my native land. 'SECOND THOUGHTS, THEY SAY,
ARE BEST;' at least so it has been with me, as I sit here in my old age,
in comparative ease and comfort, and see my grandchildren growing up in
domestic affection and public usefulness around me. Here is no
scattering of the young family--one going east, and one west, never to
meet again; but here, every night, all congregate around _one hearth_,
whilst a psalm is sung, a chapter is read, and a prayer said by grandy
himself!"

I shall never regret the loss of my old and favourite amusement, whilst
I can recollect this old man's narrative, and the many happy and
comfortable homes which now occupy the once solitary holms of _Dura
Den_.

[Footnote A