s awakened against him upon
this occasion, not so much on account of the general nature of the
transaction, which was just such as was to be expected from this
marauder, as that the violence had been perpetrated upon a neighbour
against whom he had no cause of quarrel,--against a friend of their
own,--above all, against one of the name of Elliot, to which clan most
of them belonged. It was not, therefore, wonderful, that there should
be several in the band pretty well acquainted with the locality of his
habitation, and capable of giving such directions and guidance as soon
placed the whole party on the open space of firm ground in front of the
Tower of Westburnflat.

CHAPTER IX.

So spak the knicht; the geaunt sed,
Lend forth with the the sely maid,
And mak me quile of the and sche;
For glaunsing ee, or brow so brent,
Or cheek with rose and lilye blent,
Me lists not ficht with the.--ROMANCE OF THE FALCON.

The tower, before which the party now stood, was a small square
building, of the most gloomy aspect. The walls were of great thickness,
and the windows, or slits which served the purpose of windows, seemed
rather calculated to afford the defenders the means of employing missile
weapons, than for admitting air or light to the apartments within. A
small battlement projected over the walls on every side, and afforded
farther advantage of defence by its niched parapet, within which arose
a steep roof, flagged with grey stones. A single turret at one angle,
defended by a door studded with huge iron nails, rose above the
battlement, and gave access to the roof from within, by the spiral
staircase which it enclosed. It seemed to the party that their motions
were watched by some one concealed within this turret; and they were
confirmed in their belief when, through a narrow loophole, a female hand
was seen to wave a handkerchief, as if by way of signal to them. Hobbie
was almost out of his senses with joy and eagerness.

"It was Grace's hand and arm," he said; "I can swear to it amang a
thousand. There is not the like of it on this side of the Lowdens--We'll
have her out, lads, if we should carry off the Tower of Westburnflat
stane by stane."

Earnscliff, though he doubted the possibility of recognising a fair
maiden's hand at such a distance from the eye of the lover, would say
nothing to damp his friend's animated hopes, and it was resolved to
summon the garrison.

The shouts of t