when all of a sudden, from tired and wearied that it was
before, the nag began to spring and flee, and stend, that my gudesire
could hardly keep the saddle. Upon the whilk, a horseman, suddenly
riding up beside him, said, 'That's a mettle beast of yours, freend;
will you sell him?' So saying, he touched the horse's neck with his
riding-wand, and it fell into its auld heigh-ho of a stumbling trot.
'But his spunk's soon out of him, I think,' continued the stranger, 'and
that is like mony a man's courage, that thinks he wad do great things
till he come to the proof.'

My gudesire scarce listened to this, but spurred his horse, with 'Gude
e'en to you, freend.'

But it's like the stranger was ane that doesna lightly yield his point;
for, ride as Steenie liked, he was ay beside him at the selfsame pace.
At last my gudesire, Steenie Steenson, grew half angry, and, to say the
truth, half feared.

'What is it that ye want with me, freend?' he said. 'If ye be a robber,
I have nae money; if ye be a leal man, wanting company, I have nae heart
to mirth or speaking; and if ye want to ken the road, I scarce ken it
mysell.'

'If you will tell me your grief,' said the stranger, 'I am one that,
though I have been sair miscaa'd in the world, am the only hand for
helping my freends.'

So my gudesire, to ease his ain heart, mair than from any hope of help,
told him the story from beginning to end.

'It's a hard pinch,' said the stranger; 'but I think I can help you.'

'If you could lend the money, sir, and take a lang day--I ken nae other
help on earth,' said my gudesire.

'But there may be some under the earth,' said the stranger. 'Come, I'll
be frank wi' you; I could lend you the money on bond, but you would
maybe scruple my terms. Now, I can tell you, that your auld laird is
disturbed in his grave by your curses, and the wailing of your family,
and if ye daur venture to go to see him, he will give you the receipt.'

My gudesire's hair stood on end at this proposal, but he thought his
companion might be some humoursome chield that was trying to frighten
him, and might end with lending him the money. Besides, he was bauld wi'
brandy, and desperate wi' distress; and he said he had courage to go
to the gate of hell, and a step farther, for that receipt. The stranger
laughed.

Weel, they rode on through the thickest of the wood, when, all of a
sudden, the horse stopped at the door of a great house; and, but that he
knew the plac