er, come help me! All the devils i' Hell are loosed
about me.' The horned figure drew closer, brandishing his horns, and
Elliot believing his last hour was come wailed forth his confession of
sin.

'I hae done wrang,' he moaned aloud; 'I promised Jeannie to mak her an
honest woman, but I haena done it. But I will, I swear it, by Heaven
above. Minister Macgregor,' he yelled again, 'come, help me, or I'll
gang clean daft.' Shaking like an aspen leaf he lay upon the ground and
covered his eyes with his hands, whilst he endeavoured to say a prayer.

Then he felt something touch him on the shoulder, and he broke into an
agonised yell.

'Whisht, then, whisht!' said a kindly voice in his ear. A friendly hand
gripped him below the oxter, and, peering up, he discerned the Minister.

'Eh, Minister,' cried Elliot in a paroxysm of joy, 'ye hae saved
me--saved me,' then he burst into tears.

'Come awa, come awa,' said the Reverend Alexander Macgregor gently,
'come awa up wi' me to the manse.'

Clinging to his benefactor, Elliot rose to his feet and stumbled forward
as swiftly as his shaking limbs permitted.

'Whaur is he?' he inquired tremulously, keeking about fearfully.

'Wha d' ye mean?' replied the Minister. 'Is 't "Parcy" ye hae seen?'

'Waur nor that; waur nor that,' replied the other. 'I believe 'twas
_him_.'

'Anither fifty yards an' we'll be hame,' said the Minister. 'See,
there's the licht i' the windie showing fine.'

As soon as they were within doors the Minister placed his trembling
companion in the old leathern chair in his little sanctum, made up the
fire, and poured him out a glass of whisky with hot water from the
kettle that was opportunely ready on the hob.

'And now, Minister,' said the rescued one, after imbibing the goodly
contents of his glass, 'what can I do for ye by way o' recompense for
saving me the night?'

'Did I hear ye confessin' that ye had wranged a lass--by name Jeannie?'
asked the minister, seriously, by way of answer.

'Ay, ye did that,' replied the penitent fervently, 'and I swore to right
her. I'll mak her my wife at aince; I swear it again--before ye.'

'I'll haud ye to it, mind,' said the Minister gravely; then he inquired
thoughtfully, 'What wull ye do by way o' further recompense for being
saved the nicht?' He paused. 'Weel,' he continued, 'there's some that
had sinned like ye i' the auld times that desired to prove their
repentance and their gratitude to Heaven for timeou