wheel with much activity.

"And you like the trade of keeping a public-house?"

"I can scarce say that," she replied. "But worthy Mr. Prendergast is
clear of its lawfulness; and I hae gotten used to it, and made a decent
living, though I never make out a fause reckoning, or give ony ane the
means to disorder reason in my house."

"Indeed!" said I; "in that case, there is no wonder you have not made up
the hundred pounds to purchase the lease."

"How do you ken," said she sharply, "that I might not have had a hundred
punds of my ain fee? If I have it not, I am sure it is my ain faut. And
I wunna ca' it faut neither, for it gaed to her wha was weel entitled to
a' my service." Again she pulled stoutly at the flax, and the wheel went
smartly round.

"This old gentleman," said I, fixing my eye on the painted panel, "seems
to have had HIS arms painted as well as Mr. Treddles--that is, if that
painting in the corner be a scutcheon."

"Ay, ay--cushion, just sae. They maun a' hae their cushions--there's
sma' gentry without that--and so the arms, as they ca' them, of the
house of Glentanner may be seen on an auld stane in the west end of the
house. But to do them justice; they didna propale sae muckle about them
as poor Mr. Treddles did--it's like they were better used to them."

"Very likely. Are there any of the old family in life, goodwife?"

"No," she replied; then added; after a moment's hesitation, "Not that I
know of"--and the wheel, which had intermitted, began again to revolve.

"Gone abroad, perhaps?" I suggested.

She now looked up, and faced me. "No, sir. There were three sons of the
last laird of Glentanner, as he was then called. John and William were
hopeful young gentlemen, but they died early--one of a decline brought
on by the mizzles, the other lost his life in a fever. It would hae been
lucky for mony ane that Chrystal had gane the same gate."

"Oh, he must have been the young spendthrift that sold the property?
Well, but you should you have such an ill-will against him; remember
necessity has no law. And then, goodwife, he was not more culpable than
Mr. Treddles, whom you are so sorry for."

"I wish I could think sae, sir, for his mother's sake. But Mr. Treddles
was in trade, and though he had no preceese right to do so, yet there
was some warrant for a man being expensive that imagined he was making
a mint of money. But this unhappy lad devoured his patrimony, when
he kenned that he was living