"I doubt an' ye dinna find ye're chair till the buird and the sheets till ye'r bed," said he, "monie times I hae heard the like, and troth I would na wonder if he could tell ye what the prince and the king o' France speak o' in their privy closet or what 'tis the auld admiral has under the black picture in Lunnun yonder."

"What admiral? what picture ?" said I.

"Deil o' me minds the name o'm enew," replied Donald; "but monie times I heard the sarvants speaking o's picture, and ae day that the master was out-my cusin Hector (that's his body servant) tuk me to the huse to see it."

Why then you can tell what it is yourself," said I," without the help of the laird or the 'twa-sight.""

"Deil a bit o' me," ," said Donald, "there's a grumous black curtain afore it, ye ken, and just as Hector was on the chair to lift it cam the deevil's thunder o'tirling at the door,- Ou, yon's mad Jock-the master's knock,' creit Hector, and tumlit out o' the chair, and awa' dune the back stair, and I at the back o'm."

"Hey, man! an' we had leukit at it!" said Hector." Deil's in ye!" said I, " and what then?"

"Lord kens!" and he had knickit us!" said Hector, "but ae day he was near to pit Maggie Macfarlane by the winnock for shaking the dust out o' the curtain."

"And can't you think of the name of this old madman," said I.

"Feint a bit o' me," replied Donald; "and mair's the wonder, for I hard Hector speak o'm monie times; for his family were aye greit wi' the prince, and King James before him-hoot, 'tis a lang auld farand Ireland name, for's father was married upon a lassie out o' yon country wi' a mickle tocher-and syne he tuke her name, though he

himself should be yearl o' Strathgowrie."

"Then he is from the north!" said I." Hoot aye!" said Donald, "and greit work he has wi' Scots and Irishthere's nae a man nor a lassie in the huse but hae gotten Mac' and 'O,' till the fore o's name.'

"

A sudden guess struck me,-" And his own is 'O-Haleran,' said I.

Donald clapped the shoulder of his horse with a slap that made him spring a yard out of the road-" The diel's auld chiel! yon's just him!" exclaimed he, “Ou! but I mind, yet the fleg he gied me wi's poorful thirling at the mickle ha' door."

"Did you ever see his son ?" said I. "Diel o' me kent he had ony!" replied Donald.

I rode on, making all sorts of conjectures upon the picture and the young Highlander, who I had no doubt was connected with its possessor, till I was roused by Donald riding forward to open the gate of Craiganiech. As we entered the great oak avenue, all the boyish impressions of my first visit to my chief-the seer-the hero of the forty-five-the giant of all my infant romances, and nursery tales, rushed upon my mind as if it was but yesterday, and my heart beat, almost with the same awe with which I had approached my first interview. In a short time we came in sight of the vast red half-ruined pile of the castle, the original seat of the lords of Clanranald and the Isles, and which still showed on its grim black shattered turrets the effects of the explosion, by which the rest of the fortalice had been blown up by the Duke of Cumberland. Not a stone, however, seemed to have fallen since I had last seen it, and below wavered the gray head of the old blasted walnut, one of the two favourite trees of the laird which had survived the attempt of the soldiers to blast them down with the castle.

THE night was dark, and the wind swept heavily among the huge branches of the tall trees, and roared angrily in the ample chimney, around whose hearth sat a party of students from the university of Göttingen; at times they were nearly lost amid the cloud of smoke which escaped from their ever-replenished pipes, and their voices sounded drowsily athwart the vapour. A rude table stood in the midst of them, covered with drinking-cups as rude; and laughter and merriment grew fainter and fainter as the hollow blast sounded drearily without.

"Go to, Jaquin ;" said one of the company with a forced laugh, "thy idle tales were fitter pastime for grandames, or nursery-hearers, than for us! Who, thinkest thou, among us may be scared by thy witchlings?"

"Thou art a doughty wight, truly, Menescq!" cried the person whom he had addressed, "yet have I seen thee nevertheless sorely beset at midnight, when thy homeward path has savoured somewhat of darkness-it is easy to be

a hero by fire-light over a drinking-horn, with a crowd of burschen round thee."

"Are ye children," angrily asked another of the students, "that ye are ever on the same theme? ye have, sooth to say, chosen a goodly subject of discourse for such a night."

There was something in the manner of the last speaker which implied a consciousness of superiority; and several of his companions threw out a mightier volume of smoke as he concluded his remonstrance; as though at the sound of his voice they had drawn a longer breath; while Jaquin exclaimed in an accent of "If it scare half-fearful pleasantry,

you not, most valiant Segund, we may as well discourse on these things, as anger you by jestings touching Ernelinda."

"The one is even worse suited to the talkers, than the other to the hour," replied Segund still more angrily, "and if ye be truly such children, better the witchlings than the maiden."

"For myself," said a drowsy student, as he shook the ashes from his pipe, and

cups."

"If that be a sign of weariness, it is at least no new one;" shouted another, "and for myself, as I am not so brave, I give thee no thanks for thy wish-what ails the fire?" he added in a lower key, "though it is well fed, it smoulders, and gives neither light nor heat."

"Cast on another faggot," said Menescq; but it was in vain-the dry sticks crackled with the heat, but emitted no flame; and at the moment when every eye was turned in wonder on the rapidly-expiring embers, a blast louder and shriller than any which had preceded it, swept down the spacious chimney, and blew the white ashes in clouds over the room; while at the same instant, the door, which was but slightly latched, yielded to the pressure of the wind, and flew open with violence; every eye turned instinctively towards it. On the threshold stood a figure, a very libel on humanity! the creature was barely three feet in height; crooked alike in body and limb-humped and palsied-his ill-proportioned legs trembling beneath the weight of the huge and ponderously-bulky trunk which they were intended to support-he had a face-it was one whose semblance may have haunted the hag-ridden sleeper, but the like of it had never before been looked on by waking eyes! The forehead of this fearful being was high, and narrow; the blood had stagnated there, and deepened into purple; it was seamed, less, as it appeared, by years than passions, and those darker than the mere impotent passions of mortality-the eyes were gray, streaked with livid lines, luminous, and lurid-the brows heavy and projecting the skin of the cheeks yellow, and stretched with excessive tension over the huge and protruding bones, while the play of every wiredrawn muscle was distinctly visiblethe mouth was wide and fearful-the lips black, and parted with an expression of bitter and demoniac scorn, which betokened rather habitual feeling than present passion-hair, unchanged by time, clung in heavy masses round the

unearthly countenance, and fell in matted and disgusting length upon the shoulders the Imp did not raise his eyes—he did not move his lips-he gave no gesture of pleasure or of wrath, but slowly and heavily he traversed the now silent apartment, and approached the hearth; there he stood, spreading out his black and withered hands over the dying warmth; and the long, bony fingers, tipped with misshapen and discoloured talons, cast a fearful shadow on the wall, lengthened as it was by every flickering of the uncertain light. At intervals the huge faggot which had been cast upon the fire, brightened into flame for a single second, and threw the livid features and distorted form of the little old man into broad light; and then crackled loudly as it died away again into darkness-it was a frightful portraiture of debased humanity; and the burschen, one and all, looked on it in trembling. Still the fearful being spoke not; not a feature or a muscle relaxed: the lips remained parted, the eyes vacant

but at times he bent down painfully, and raked together the scattered fragments of the mouldering faggot. At everyfitful flashing of the flame, the eyes of the students expanded more and more, and every heart beat audibly. Segund was the first who shook off in some degree the extremity of his horror; he strove to speak, but the words rattled in his throat, and mocked his utterance: in silence he extended his drinking-horn to the intruder, and in silence the courtesy was accepted; the man of fear raised the bulky vessel to his lips, and drained even to the very dregs the capacious draught-but there was no sound as of one who drank! A large piece of bread lay on the board; Segund prof-. fered it to the old man; it was instantly devoured, but the most attentive ear could not distinguish a sound-again he drank, and no long-drawn breath followed the draught-there was the pause of a moment; then a flickering of the fire-flame, and the old man as slowly and as noiselessly as he had entered, quitted the apartment.

The burschen sat in consternated silence; another gust pealed down the wide and echoing chimney, swept through the room, and swinging the heavy door rapidly back upon its hinges,

closed it with a loud clap. The shuddering students turned with one impulse towards the hearth-all was dark, and chill-the fire was extinguished!

For awhile the party remained mute and motionless; they drew their breath tightly, and sat like statues-then a long painful respiration met the ear-the motion of a limb-a foot dragged heavily along the floor-and at length eyes met and lips moved, as though anxious for some voice to break the spell: it was long, however, ere any one had courage to do so there was a weight in the air; and lead seemed heaped upon the aching eyelids of all. At length Jaquin glanced hurriedly round the apartment, and spoke-it was but a whisper, but every individual student started as though roused by a trumpet call, and the charm was dispelled; gradually every form relaxed; the rigidity of fear yielded beneath the voice of companionship, and by slow degrees, each trusted his tongue once more with words, and his lips with utterance. But what availed their converse? all were questioners, and there was not one to make reply. The first circumstance which withdrew their thoughts for awhile from the fearful visitation of the little old man, was the fact of the disappearance of Segund; none had seen him leave the roomhad he departed with that form of fear? had he gone voluntarily? or had some unholy spell removed him from among them? These were the questions which in that moment of over-excitement each asked of the other, and to which none could answer. After a time they parted; not as they were wont to part; in boisterous mirth, or in still more boisterous brawl, but in silence, and in trembling.

Segund followed the old man forth: in the very extremity of his fear, he followed him he had seen him traverse the chamber, and beheld at once that he was about to depart in the same mystery as he had entered.

The

mind of Segund was no common one; he could endure to know appalling facts, and to behold fearful sights; but he could not sit down calmly in doubt, after such a visitation: he raised his hand to his breast, and felt for the weapon which he was wont to carry there-he touched it, and hesitated no longer. When he

"It is a rude night, Segund:" said the voice, which came forth as it seemed through the closed teeth," and yet, rough as it is, many are abroad in the blast." He paused, but there wasno reply. "You are poor, Segund-more is the pity!" and the unnatural laughter became more audible, 66 the father of

Ernelinda is not at his own hearth-his cloak is even now streaming in the wind: he is gone to woo a wealthy suitor to his daughter's footstool"-the student started, “I was to have been beside him at this hour; ay, I was to have been there, to smooth his passage-am I not a goodly love-herald?-he has waited for me, but I am still here-know ye wherefore I went not? At the moment that I should have departed on my mission, I was sharing your wine-cup, and eating of your food; and I could not wrong you while I fed-now I am yours! If you love the pale-browed maiden with her smooth limbs, and her silky hair, she shall not be bought by gold-I have said it, let those gainsay me who can."He paused again, and the student gasped for breath. "Truly she is very fair!" continued the smothered voice, as the heavy hand slid from the shoulder of Segund to his elbow, and rested there; while the large face of the old man was turned upwards to his, with a wild grin upon the blue lips; "fair to a wonder! I could have loved her myself, had I been like other men-"

"Loved Ernelinda! Thou!" almost screamed the student.

"Ay, I-" returned the dwarf with calm bitterness "thou wouldst scoff at such a thought-do it; thou art welcome the chances are yet unequal enough between us-but know, proud boy, that her smiles, and sighs, and softness are no more to me, than thy frowns and scorn-what care I for either?"

"I sought not to anger thee," murmured the student.

"Anger me!" echoed his companion, "that is the prate of a worldling: I am not to be thus angered-but tell me at once and boldly, dost thou love the maiden ?"

"As my own soul—”

"And thou wouldst win her?" "It is my heart's hope." "Thou shalt thou shalt! and again he laughed. "Seest thou this ring? it is a precious jewel: it came from the land where the sun rises: the artificer who wrought the gold in which the gem is incased, died when he had completed the work; the world has not its fellow. Be that thy next love-gift; and from the moment in which it encircles her finger, no other shall win her-but, mark me! put it not on thine own, or the charm will be dispelled."

The student hesitated as he replied, I may not accept a gift so costly from one whom I know not."

"Fool!" said the dwarf, "whom knowest thou better? couldst thou mistake me, should we meet again? Art thou not well acquainted with my ungainly figure, and my unsightly features? and dost thou boast closer fellowship with any of thy every-day associates? Hast thou learned more of them than thine eye has taught thee? Hast thou looked deeper into their hearts than thou hast into mine? canst thou answer for their motives? understand their impulses? and measure their meanings? If thou canst truly do all this with others, then am I indeed a stranger to thee."

"But wilt thou swear that no evil shall grow out of the gift?"

"Swear!" cried the fearful being, "and by what shall I swear? by the light? That were a poor oath, when we are standing here side by side in the darkness.-Shall I swear by these blasts, which are bellowing over us-the wind which heard the vow would have borne it to the other extremity of the earth ere it could have in aught availed thee. It is a goodly world where the word is no bond, and there must be oaths and vows given as sureties for sincerity-once more, wilt thou take the ring?”

"I heard no rumour of the rich suitor to-day"-said the student in an accent of indecision.

"Wouldst thou, that her proud father should have waited on thee with the intelligence?" sneered the tempter; "but I have done with her, and with thee-theae be prettier maidens, and bolder youths to whom the ring may be welcome."

"She will not wed another-" gasped Segund.

"Then thou art safe-if painted halls, and jewelled fooleries have no charms for her, my aid were worthless-if thou art sure of this-farewell-”

Nay-stay but for one moment;" said the student, pressing his hand upon his throbbing brow,-“ women, the best, the fondest, are sometimes won by such gauds-I will-take the ring."

"Be it as thou wilt," said the voice calmly, as Segund extended his hand for the jewel," and now, good night." The excited young man drew a long breath, and would have spoken againbut he was alone.

Segund passed a sleepless night-he lay for hours with the jewel in his hand, marvelling at the events of the past day: at times he determined to cast away the ring, about which hung so much of mystery and fear, but the dread of losing his mistress made him hesitate, and finally abandon the intention. On the morrow he sought Ernelinda; she was very beautiful! and never had she been fairer or fonder than at the moment of that meeting; she was anxiously awaiting him, and she told him a hurried tale of her new suitor, and her father's views; a tear fell on her cheek, and the heart of Segund beat wildly as he listened: he remembered the words of the little old man-his threats-his gift—and he put his hand into his breast, and drew out the ring. Ernelinda looked on it with surprise; she had never seen so costly a jewel; as she turned it rapidly in the light, flashes like fire came from the wondrous stone, and the colour deepened into a rich ruby-she was lost in delight

then came hurried questions of its history, to which her lover gave confused and evasive replies, until the maiden with playful pride was about to place it on her finger; then indeed the heart of the student leaped with fear, and he hastily drew back her hand. He could not overcome the feeling of foreboding