"And so with these notable allies, gudewife, you think you will face out the terrors of one night alone?" said Walter impatiently, for soldiering had rubbed off much of that superstition which still exists in Scotland. "I have courage to do whatever my lady requires o' me as her bounden vassal," replied Elsie sharply; "courage! my certie! young sir, mony a lang year before you saw the light, I learned to look without blenching on steel flashing in my ain kailyard, and battle-smoke rowing owre holm and hollow. A Scottish wife, maun, needs hae courage in thae fearfu' times, when never a day passes without a son, a gudeman, or a brother having to buckle on steel cap and corslet whenever the laird cries, 'Mount and ride!' How mony a time and oft has the bale fire at Libberton-peel, and the cry o' 'Horse and spear!' made my douce gudeman crawl out frae his cosy nest in that bein boxbed, wi' a heavy curse on the English, the nonconformists, or malignants (or whaever kept the countryside astir for the time), then donning morion, jack and spear, he rode awa, de'il kens where, at Sir Archibald's bidding, for they were aye together in drumming and dirdum, trooping and travelling, hunting and hosting, sic as may we never see again! But alake! there is a whisper gaing owre the land, that waur is yet to come than the wildest persecutor could think o'." "Beard o' Mahoun!" said Hab impatiently, "you are at your weary auld-world stories again. Let all bygones be forgotten, mother, and as for the trooping and tramping of those days, when my faither rode by laird's bridle, God send we may soon have the same again! But if our Lady means to return to the old place to-night, the sooner she sets out the better." "True, Halbert," said Lady Grizel, "for the hour waxes late; but," she added, striking her cane on the floor, "we will require a coach, for, late or early, we must return in such state as befits us." "Hab," said Walter, "hurry to the Portsburgh, and desire the master of the inn there immediately to send his hackney coach (I know he keeps one), with horses to drag it, and link-boys conform." "He is a dour auld carl, I ken," replied Hab, throwing off his bandoleers, and preparing to start. "Our inquartering there a month ago, has neither improved his temper or gudewill. It will be the dead hour of night when I tirl his pin, and he may refuse to obey me." "How, if you say the coach is for a lady of quality." "For _me_, Halbert?" added Lady Grizel with dignity. "Ay, madam, and ask my authority." "Then show him the blade of your sword," said Walter: "'tis the best badge of authority to an insolent boor." "But the auld buckie, though round as a puncheon, of Rhenish, can handle backsword and dagger, double and single falchions like any French sword-player; and look ye, Mr. Fenton, though a bare blade passed well enough in the Low Countries under Condé, or in the west under Claver'se, it will not do at all within sound of the Iron Kirk bell."