scalp, whispered to his companion, "It's Auld Ailie hersell! Shall I gie
her a shot, in the name of God?"

"For Heaven's sake, no," said his companion, holding down the weapon
which he was about to raise to the aim--"for Heaven's sake, no; it's
some poor distracted creature."

"Ye're distracted yoursell, for thinking of going so near to her," said
Elliot, holding his companion in his turn, as he prepared to advance.
"We'll aye hae time to pit ower a bit prayer (an I could but mind ane)
afore she comes this length--God! she's in nae hurry," continued he,
growing bolder from his companion's confidence, and the little notice
the apparition seemed to take of them. "She hirples like a hen on a het
girdle. I redd ye, Earnscliff" (this he added in a gentle whisper), "let
us take a cast about, as if to draw the wind on a buck--the bog is no
abune knee-deep, and better a saft road as bad company." [The Scots use
the epithet soft, IN MALAM PARTEM, in two cases, at least. A SOFT road
is a road through quagmire and bogs; and SOFT weather signifies that
which is very rainy.]

Earnscliff, however, in spite of his companion's resistance and
remonstrances, continued to advance on the path they had originally
pursued, and soon confronted the object of their investigation.

The height of the figure, which appeared even to decrease as they
approached it, seemed to be under four feet, and its form, as far as the
imperfect light afforded them the means of discerning, was very nearly
as broad as long, or rather of a spherical shape, which could only
be occasioned by some strange personal deformity. The young sportsman
hailed this extraordinary appearance twice, without receiving any