he country but what resided on his own
property, and practised their trade by his immediate permission, implied
or expressed. Nor was Mr. Bertram in a hurry to exert his newly-acquired
authority at the expense of these old settlers. But he was driven on by
circumstances.

At the quarter-sessions our new Justice was publicly upbraided by a
gentleman of the opposite party in county politics, that, while he
affected a great zeal for the public police, and seemed ambitious of the
fame of an active magistrate, he fostered a tribe of the greatest rogues
in the country, and permitted them to harbour within a mile of the house
of Ellangowan. To this there was no reply, for the fact was too evident
and well known. The Laird digested the taunt as he best could, and in his
way home amused himself with speculations on the easiest method of
ridding himself of these vagrants, who brought a stain upon his fair fame
as a magistrate. Just as he had resolved to take the first opportunity of
quarrelling with the pariahs of Derncleugh, a cause of provocation
presented itself.

Since our friend's advancement to be a conservator of the peace, he had
caused the gate at the head of his avenue, which formerly, having only
one hinge, remained at all times hospitably open--he had caused this
gate, I say, to be newly hung and handsomely painted. He had also shut up
with paling, curiously twisted with furze, certain holes in the fences
adjoining, through which the gipsy boys used to scramble into the
plantations to gather birds' nests, the seniors of the village to make a
short cut from one point to another, and the lads and lasses for evening
rendezvous--all without offence taken or leave asked. But these halcyon
days were now to have an end, and a minatory inscription on one side of
the gate intimated 'prosecution according to law' (the painter had spelt
it 'persecution'--l'un vaut bien l'autre) to all who should be found
trespassing on these inclosures. On the other side, for uniformity's
sake, was a precautionary annunciation of spring-guns and man-traps of
such formidable powers that, said the rubrick, with an emphatic nota
bene--'if a man goes in they will break a horse's leg.'

In defiance of these threats, six well-grown gipsy boys and girls were
riding cock-horse upon the new gate, and plaiting may-flowers, which it
was but too evident had been gathered within the forbidden precincts.
With as much anger as he was capable of feeling, or p