"What!" cried Inchrory, drawing himself up in his chair, and looking thunderbolts,--"What! does Lord Fife take me for a dog-dealer? I would not sell my dog to any Lord in the land. I would not sell my dog to the King on the throne. Tell his Lordship, I would as soon sell him my wife!" "What a stupid fellow I am, Inchrory!" said the factor. "Did I say that it was the Earl that sent me? If I did, I was quite wrong. No! no! his Lordship did no such thing. He only admired the dog so much, that he could speak of nothing else as he crossed the meadow to join his people. It was my mistake altogether. Hearing him admire your dog so much, I thought it would be a kind act from me to you, my old friend, just to ride back quietly, and give you a hint of it. 'I thought I had the best dogs in all Scotland,' said the Earl, 'but that dog of Inchrory's beats them all clean. He is worth them all put together. He is a prince among dogs, as his master is a prince among men. Where could you find a master worthy of such a dog but Inchrory himself--the best fellow I have met with in all this country.'" "Did the Earl of Fife say that?" cried Inchrory. "Here, bring me a leash. Now," added he after having fastened it about the hound's neck, "take hold of that, and lead the dog with you to the Earl, and tell him that Inchrory begs he will accept of him as a present." The Earl was delighted with the dog, as well as with the able conduct of his ambassador who brought him; and he was no sooner fairly established in his own house at Mar Lodge, than he sent an especial messenger over the hill to Inchrory, with a letter from himself, thanking him for his noble present, and requesting him to come and pay him a visit. Inchrory most graciously accepted the invitation; and the Earl took care to be prepared to give him a proper reception. Inchrory, dressed in his best Highland costume, accoutred with sword, dirk, and pistols complete, mounted his long tailed garron, and rode over to Mar Lodge. When he arrived at the door, two grooms of the Earl's were ready, one to hold his horse's head, and the other his stirrup whilst he dismounted, and he was ushered into the house by the house-steward, and through an alley of footmen, all richly attired in the Earl's livery, till he was shewn into the room where his Lordship was seated. Inchrory had never seen anything the least like this before. But he was too proud to manifest the smallest surprise--and holding up his head, he strode in with a dignified air, and took all this pomp as if it had belonged to him of course. The Earl was seated, amidst all his magnificence, in a great arm-chair next the fire, with an empty one placed at his left hand. "Good day to you, Inchrory," said the Earl to him as he entered, and at the same time nodding his head familiarly as he spoke, but without rising from his seat. "Good day to you, my Lord," said Inchrory, strutting forward like a turkey cock.