Kidnap and beaten

ig

of the door of my father's house. The sun began to shine upon the summit of the hills as I went down the road; and by the time I had come as far as the man

te, good man! He asked me if I had breakfasted; and hearing that I lacked fo

you as far as the ford, to set you on the w

ave Essendean?" sai

I have been very happy there; but then I have never been anywhere else. My father and mother, since they are both dead, I shall be no nearer to in Esse

, which he said was your inheritance. 'So soon,' says he, 'as I am gone, and the house is redd up and the gear disposed of' (all which, Davie, hath been done), 'give my boy this letter into his hand, and start him off to the house of Shaws, n

. "What had my poor father to

fitted his position; no man more plausibly conducted school; nor had he the manner or the speech of a common dominie; but (as ye will yourself remember) I took aye a pleasure to have him to the manse to meet the gentry; and those of my own house, Campbell of Kilren

s house of Shaws, these will be delivered by my son, David Balfour." My heart was beating hard at this great prospect

red, "and if you were in

not but suppose them to be somewhat of your blood) should put you to the door, ye can but walk the two days back again and risp at the manse door. But I would rather hope that ye shall be well received, as your poor father forecas

peaks, put his pocket-handkerchief over his cocked hat to shelter him. There, then, with uplifted forefinger, he first put me on my guard against a considerable number of heresies, to which I had no tem

e shame us! In yon great, muckle house, with all these domestics, upper and under, show yourself as nice, as circumspect, as quick at the conception, and as slo

ay be; and I'll promise yo

ey for your father's books and plenishing, which I have bought (as I have explained from the first) in the design of re-selling at a profit to the incoming dominie. The other three are gifties that Mrs. Campbell and myself would be blithe of your acceptance. The first, which is round, will likely please ye best at the first off-go; but, O Davie, laddie,

ow; and then whipped about, and crying good-bye to me, set off backward by the way that we had come at a sort of jogging run. It might have been laughable to another; but I was in no mind to laugh. I watched him as long as he was in sight; and he never stopped hurrying, nor once looked back

ngratitude? Can you forget old favours and old friends

d much doubt of; sure enough it was a little Bible, to carry in a plaid-neuk. That which he had called round, I found to be a shilling piece; and the third, wh

hose that have the dumb palsey. It is good against the Gout; it comforts the heart and strengthens the memory; and the flowers, put into a Glasse, close stopt, and set into an

minister's own

t in; and for the cholic, a

over the ford and up the hill upon the farther side; till, just as I came on the green drove-road running wide through the heather, I