ime, here or elsewhere, must be
according to my own ideas of pleasure or business--If you are tired of
me as a guest, send in your bill to-morrow."

"My bill!" said Mrs. Dods; "my bill to-morrow! And what for no wait till
Saturday, when it may be cleared atween us, plack and bawbee, as it was
on Saturday last?"

"Well--we will talk of it to-morrow, Mrs. Dods--Good-night." And he
withdrew accordingly.

Luckie Dods stood ruminating for a moment. "The deil's in him," she
said, "for he winna bide being thrawn. And I think the deil's in me too
for thrawing him, sic a canny lad, and sae gude a customer;--and I am
judging he has something on his mind--want of siller it canna be--I am
sure if I thought that, I wadna care about my small thing.--But want o'
siller it canna be--he pays ower the shillings as if they were sclate
stanes, and that's no the way that folk part with their siller when
there's but little on't--I ken weel eneugh how a customer looks that's
near the grund of the purse.--Weel! I hope he winna mind ony thing of
this nonsense the morn, and I'll try to guide my tongue something
better.--Hegh, sirs! but, as the minister says, it's an unruly
member--troth, I am whiles ashamed o't mysell."

CHAPTER X.

RESOURCES.

Come, let me have thy counsel, for I need it;
Thou art of those, who better help their friends
With sage advice, than usurers with gold,
Or brawlers with their swords--I'll trust to thee,
For I ask only from thee words, not deeds.

_The Devil hath met his Match._

The day of which we last gave the events chanced to be Monday, and two
days therefore intervened betwixt it and that for which the
entertainment was fixed, that was to assemble in the halls of the Lord
of the Manor the flower of the company now at St. Ronan's Well. The
interval was but brief for the preparations necessary on an occasion so
unusual; since the house, though delightfully situated, was in very
indifferent repair, and for years had never received any visitors,
except when some blithe bachelor or fox-hunter shared the hospitality of
Mr. Mowbray; an event which became daily more and more uncommon; for, as
he himself almost lived at the Well, he generally contrived to receive
his companions where it could be done without expense to himself.
Besides, the health of his sister afforded an irresistible apology to
any of those old-fashioned Scottish gentlemen, who might be too apt (in
the rudeness of m