now stands, there stood an old tower,
containing one habitable apartment; but only occupied as a sleeping room by
one of the ploughmen, and the herd boy. There were one or two
lumber-garrets besides; but these were seldom entered, as they were
understood to contain nothing of any value, besides being dark, and
swarming with vermin. Reports of odd noises and fearful apparitions had
begun to prevail about the place, and both ploughman and herd were
unwilling to continue any longer in a lodgment into which it was their firm
persuasion that something "no canny" had entered. Holding this exceedingly
cheap, Adam Chalmers, the veteran guidman of Barjarg, agreed to take a
night of the old tower, and to set the devil and all his imps at defiance;
but it was observed, that he came home next morning thoughtful and out of
spirits, agreeing, at once, that nobody should, in future, be compelled to
sleep in the old tower. He said little of what he had seen or heard, but he
shook his head, and seemed to intimate that he knew more than he was at
liberty to divulge. Things went on in this manner for some time--reports of
noises at unseasonable hours still prevailing, and every one shunning the
place after dark--till, one morning before daylight, the whole building was
observed to be on fire, surrounded at the same time, as the flames were, by
a troop of Grierson's men, with their leader at their head. The scream
which Catherine Chalmers uttered when she beheld the flames, but too
plainly intimated the state of her mind; nor was her father less composed,
but went about, wringing his hands and exclaiming--"Oh! poor Sergeant
Wilson! poor Sergeant Wilson!" At this instant, the fire had made its way
to the upper apartment, and had thrown light upon a human head and
shoulders, which leaned over the decayed battlement. Every one was
horror-struck except the inhuman soldiery, who collected around the burning
pile, and shouted up their profane and insulting jests, in the face of the
poor perishing being, who, from his footing immediately giving way, was
precipitated into the flames, and disappeared.

"There, let him go," said Grierson, "dog and traitor as he is, let him sink
to the lowest pit, there to wait the arrival of his canting and Covenanting
spouse, whom we shall now take the liberty of carrying to head-quarters,
there to await her sentence, for decoying a king's sworn servant and a
sergeant, from his duty and allegiance."

No sooner said