below it, to which the mysterious dwarf had referred in her conversation with Amherst. Leaving the path that led between them, he turned off abruptly to the left towards the southern shore of Loch an Eilan.

This lake was considerably larger than the other, possessing, from similarity of situation, the same savage grandeur on its southern side, whilst its northern shores displayed a contrast of the most perfect beauty and softness. This arose from the lovely green-topped hill called the Ord Bain, the sides of which were chiefly covered with woods of oak and birch. Its projecting rocks also, being of limestone, presented masses of less rugged outline; and its slopes, where occasionally seen, exhibited a verdant turf running down in some places to the very water's edge.

Opposite to a smooth open lawny spot of this description, and but a short way from the shore, there was an island, described by tradition as being entirely artificial; and perhaps the circumstance of piles appearing among the stones, when the waters of the lake were reduced by extraordinary droughts in summer, afforded some reasonable grounds for such an idea.

The island, whether artificial or natural, was

so small, as to be entirely occupied with the shattered walls of an ancient fortalice, once a stronghold of the powerful family of the Cumins.

Such was the scene in which Amherst had now arrived. O'Gollochar was much surprised to see his master break off from the track, and dive abruptly into the shades of the Ord Bain. He followed him, however, without any remark. Having gained the thickest part of the woods upon its side, the young Englishman halted and dismounted, and bid his servant tie the horses to a tree.

Amherst then told the faithful fellow the true state of affairs, avoiding what might implicate Lochandhu, but saying enough of Alexander Macgillivray and his associates, to convince O'Gollochar of their villany, and to explain their plots against his life, and his present manœuvre to counteract them. He told him of the signal service rendered him by the Carline, as well as of the warning she had given him; and finally, he made him aware of the time and place of their proposed meeting.

O'Gollochar listened with perfect astonishment, and with occasional exclamations of horror, to his master's narrative. So carefully had every sus

picious circumstance been concealed from him, that he had not had the slightest notion of the villanous treachery by which they had been so long surrounded at Lochandhu. What most of all surprised him was, that the Dwarfie Carline had proved so friendly. But notwithstanding all that Amherst had told him in her favour, O'Gallochar quaked at the very thought of the expect ed meeting. After making him examine their pistols

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te" Cornelius," said he, "I know you to be a brave fellow, when all ideas of witches, fairies, devils, and ghosts, are banished from your mind. I beg, therefore, you will summon up your courage and your wits, for, from the caution the Carline gave me that we should both come well armed, I expect we shall have something more sub. stantial to deal with to-night than spirits or aërial beings. But soft was not that something like the tramp of horses, as if issuing from the pass? Let us climb this huge fir, that looks like. the last remaining denizen of former forests, to discover whether the sound we hear proceeds from Macgillivray and the gang of robbers, and if it does so, we may judge then, with some degree,

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of certainty, whether or not they have really gone] upon the fool's errand I intended to send them."

From the lofty and umbrageous top of this im mense pine, they perceived the party of villains sweeping round the other side of the lake, at one moment hid by the trees, and by the intervening hillocks and bushes, and at another, seen march ing in single file among the tall leafless stems of the firs. One or two were on foot;-but the greater number were mounted on ponies, and Alexander Macgillivray and the miller rode at their head. The night was now falling fast, and their figures were soon lost amid the gloom and intricacy of the forest.

Amherst came down from the tree highly satisfied with the success of his stratagem. He made O'Gollochar untie the horses, and lead them through the wood to a more open spot, where, though equally concealed, they could pick up a little grass. This being immediately above the place of meeting, and at no great distance from it, he had it in his power, by moving forward a few steps, to command a full view of the Fairy's Oak, an immense tree, growing singly from the smooth turf of a green point, directly opposite to the islet

occupied by the castle. There he determined to remain quiet until the appointed hour.

The night was cloudy, but the moon having risen, gave a steady though chastened light, sufficient, however, to enable the eye to distinguish any object that might show itself upon the short sward of the level ground below, dedicated, by popular superstition, to the tiny green-coated race of elves, who were supposed" to daunce the maze" round the great oak. The surface of the water between the islet and the land was visible, and the dark form of the ruined castle was distinctly seen rising from it.

It was not long after Amherst had taken up this new position, that stepping from under the trees to reconnoitre, he observed a light thrown upon one of the further walls of the castle, as if from a torch or lamp, carried by some person concealed by the buildings nearest to him. Having understood that it was a ruin, and uninhabited, he was a good deal astonished with this circumstance. The light however was transient. It seemed either to have been suddenly extinguished, or moved into a situation where it was hid;

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