ves were in his gift. Ochiltree paused--"I was a
bauld craigsman," he said, "ance in my life, and mony a kittywake's and
lungie's nest hae I harried up amang thae very black rocks; but it's
lang, lang syne, and nae mortal could speel them without a rope--and if
I had ane, my ee-sight, and my footstep, and my hand-grip, hae a' failed
mony a day sinsyne--And then, how could I save you? But there was a path
here ance, though maybe, if we could see it, ye would rather bide where
we are--His name be praised!" he ejaculated suddenly, "there's ane coming
down the crag e'en now!"--Then, exalting his voice, he hilloa'd out to
the daring adventurer such instructions as his former practice, and
the remembrance of local circumstances, suddenly forced upon his
mind:--"Ye're right!--ye're right!--that gate--that gate!--fasten the rope
weel round Crummies-horn, that's the muckle black stane--cast twa plies
round it--that's it!--now, weize yoursell a wee easel-ward--a wee mair yet
to that ither stane--we ca'd it the Cat's-lug--there used to be the root
o' an aik tree there--that will do!--canny now, lad--canny now--tak tent and
tak time--Lord bless ye, tak time--Vera weel!--Now ye maun get to Bessy's
apron, that's the muckle braid flat blue stane--and then, I think, wi'
your help and the tow thegither, I'll win at ye, and then we'll be able
to get up the young leddy and Sir Arthur."

The adventurer, following the directions of old Edie, flung him down
the end of the rope, which he secured around Miss Wardour, wrapping her
previously in his own blue gown, to preserve her as much as possible
from injury. Then, availing himself of the rope, which was made fast at
the other end, he began to ascend the face of the crag--a most precarious
and dizzy undertaking, which, however, after one or two perilous
escapes, placed him safe on the broad flat stone beside our friend
Lovel. Their joint strength was able to raise Isabella to the place of
safety which they had attained. Lovel then descended in order to assist
Sir Arthur, around whom he adjusted the rope; and again mounting to
their place of refuge, with the assistance of old Ochiltree, and such
aid as Sir Arthur himself could afford, he raised himself beyond the
reach of the billows.

[Illustration: The Rescue of Sir Arthur and Miss Wardour]

The sense of reprieve from approaching and apparently inevitable death,
had its usual effect. The father and daughter threw themselves into
each other