"A cup of tea, ma'am, if you will favour me." Mrs. MacCandlish bustled about, and proceeded in her duties with her best grace, explaining that she had a very nice parlour, and everything agreeable for gentlefolks; but it was bespoke to-night for a gentleman and his daughter, that were going to leave this part of the country. The sound of wheels was now heard, and the postilion entered. "No, they canna' come at no rate, the laird's sae ill." "But God help them," said the landlady. "The morn's the term--the very last day they can bide in the house--a' things to be roupit." "Weel, I tell you, Mr. Bertram canna be moved." "What Mr. Bertram?" said the stranger. "Not Mr. Bertram of Ellangowan, I hope?" "Just e'en that same, sir; and if ye be a friend o' his, ye've come at a time when he's sair bested." "I have been abroad for many years. Is his health so much deranged?" "Ay, and his affairs an' a'. The creditors have entered into possession o' the estate, and it's for sale. And some that made the maist o' him, they're sairest on him now. I've a sma' matter due mysell, but I'd rather have lost it than gane to turn the auld man out of his house, and him just dying." "Ay, but," said the parish clerk, "Factor Glossin wants to get rid of the auld laird, and drive on the sale, for fear the heir-male should cast up; for if there's an heir-male, they canna sell the estate for auld Ellangowan's debt." "He had a son born a good many years ago," said the stranger. "He is dead, I suppose?" "Dead! I'se warrant him dead lang syne. He hasna' been heard o' these twenty years." "I wat weel it's no twenty years," said the landlady. "It's no abune seventeen in this very month. It made an unco noise ower a' this country. The bairn disappeared the very day that Supervisor Kennedy came by his end. He was a daft dog! Oh, an' he could ha' handen' off the smugglers! Ye see, sir, there was a king's sloop down in Wigton Bay, and Frank Kennedy, he behoved to have her up to chase Dirk Hatteraick's lugger. He was a daring cheild, and fought his ship till she blew up like peelings of ingans." "And Mr. Bertram's child," said the stranger, "what is all this to him?" "Ou, sir, the bairn aye held an unca wark wi' the supervisor, and it was generally thought he went on board the vessel with him." "No, no; you're clean out there, Luckie! The young laird was stown awa' by a randy gipsy woman they ca'd Meg Merrilies," said the deacon.