bits-ye might weel say my ware is tender-and ye'll mind the price is four dollars-Sall I put ye in my book for it ?"

"No," said Mordaunt hastily; and, taking out his purse, he flung down the money.

"Grace to ye to wear the garment,” said the joyous pedlar, "and to me to guide the siller; and protect us from earthly vanities, and earthly covetousness; and send you the white linen raiment, whilk is mair to be desired than the muslins, and cambrics, and lawns, and silks of this world; and send me the talents which avail more than much fine Spanish gold, or Dutch dollars either-and-but God guide the callant, what for are ye wrapping the silk up that gate, like a wisp of hay ?"

At this moment, old Swertha, the housekeeper, entered, to whom, as if eager to get rid of the subject, Mordaunt threw his purchase, with something like careless disdain; and, telling her to put it aside, snatched his gun, which stood in the corner, threw his shooting accoutrements about him, and without noticing Bryce's attempt to en

ter into conversation upon the "braw seal-skin, as saft as doe-leather," which made the sling and cover of his fowling-piece, he left the apartment abruptly.

The jagger, with those green goggling and gain-descrying kind of optics, which we have already described, continued gazing for an instant after the customer, who treated his wares with such irreverence.

Swertha also looked after him with some surprise. "The callant's in a creel," quoth she.

"In a creel!" echoed the pedlar," he will be as wowf as ever his father was. To guide in that gate a bargain that cost him four dollars-very, very Fifish, as the east-country fisher-folks say.”

"Four dollars for that green rag!" said Swertha, catching at the words which the jagger had unwarily suffered to escape-" that was a bargain indeed! I wonder whether he is the greater fule, or you the mair rogue, Bryce Snailsfoot."

"I didna say it cost him preceesely four dollars," said Snailsfoot; "but if it had, the lad's siller's his ain, I hope; and he is auld aneugh to

make his ain bargains. Mair by token, the gudes are weel worth the money, and mair.”

"Mair by token," said Swertha coolly, “I will see what his father thinks about it."

"Ye'll no be sae ill natured, Mrs Swertha," said the jagger; "that will be but cauld thanks for the bonny owerlay .hat I hae brought you a' the way frae Lerwick."

"And a bonnie price ye'll be setting on't," said Swertha; "for that's the gate your good deeds end."

"Ye sall hae the fixing of the price yoursell; or it may lie ower till you're buying something for the house, or for your master, and it can make a' ae count."

-for

"Troth and that's true, Bryce Snailsfoot, I am thinking we'll want some napery suneit's no to be thought we can spin, and the like, as if there was a mistress in the house; and sae we make nane at hame."

"And that's what I ca' walking by the word," said the jagger. "Go unto those that buy and sell; there's muckle profit in that text."

"There is a pleasure in dealing wi' a discreet man, that can make profit of ony thing," said Swertha; "and now that I take another look at that daft callant's waistcoat piece, I think it is honestly worth four dollars."

CHAPTER X.

"I have possessed the regulation of the weather and the distribution of the seasons. The sun has listened to my dictates, and passed from tropic to tropic by my direction; the clouds, at my command, have poured forth their waters."

Rasselas.

ANY sudden cause for anxious and mortifying reflection, which, in advanced age, occasions sullen and pensive inactivity, stimulates youth to eager and active exertion, as if, like the hurt deer, they endeavour to drown the pain of the shaft by the rapidity of motion. When Mordaunt caught up his gun, and rushed out of the house of Jarlshof, he walked on with great activity over waste and wild, without any determined purpose, except that of escaping, if possible, from the smart of his own irritation. His pride was effectually mortified by the report of the jagger, which coincided exactly with some doubts he had been