ectly a witness, comes from
Nancy herself. I have sent the tale to Alexander Carmichael as well,
and in all important matters his recollections accord with mine.

There came to me but yesterday, in this queer old city, a letter from
him urging me back to Stair, closed with a stanza that was not born to
die:

"Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to min',
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And the days of Auld Lang Syne?"

They should not, Sandy, and none know it better than we; and I long for
a grip of your hand, lad, and to feel the winds blow through the rowans
at Stair and the copper birches of Arran; to hear the blackbirds
whistle across the gowan-tops; to see the busy burn-folk through the
break in the old south wall; and with the ending of these writings my
steps are turned toward home.

ROME, 1801.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I.--AT STAIR HOUSE, NEAR EDINBURGH, IN 1768 1

II.--I GO ON A CRUISE AND FIND A HIDDEN TREASURE 15

III.--THE TREASURE BECOMES MINE, BUT IS CLAIMED BY ITS OWNER 29

IV.--ENTER NANCY STAIR 41

V.--I MAKE THE ACQUAINTANCE OF A STRANGE CHILD 53

VI.--NANCY BEGINS HER STUDY OF THE LAW 61

VII.--I TAKE NANCY'S EDUCATION IN HAND 74

VIII.--THE DAFT DAYS 86

IX.--DANVERS BECOMES BETTER ACQUAINTED WITH NANCY 105

X.--NANCY VISITS HIS GRACE OF BORTHWICKE 124

XI.--DANVERS CARMICHAEL MAKES A PROPOSAL 142

XII.--I MEET A GREAT MAN 159

XIII.--THE DUKE VISITS STAIR FOR THE FIRST TIME 166

XIV.--NANCY MEETS HER RIVAL 174

XV.--CONCERNING DANVERS CARMICHAEL AND HIS GRACE OF BORTHWICKE 185

XVI.--NANCY STAIR ARRANGES MATTERS 204

XVII.--"THE SWAP O' RHYMING WARE" 213

XVIII.--I GO DOWN TO MAUCHLINE 232

XIX.--THE QUARREL BETWEEN DANVERS AND NANCY 241

XX.--DANVERS GIVES US A GREAT SURPRISE 259

XXI.--THE ALLISONS' BALL AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWED IT 268