o' a kirk that has sounin’ balls in its ceilin.” By this time the paroxysm that made Saunders dictate so summary a measure had somewhat subsided. He began by degrees to sink nearer to his constitutional level; and as he had never been remarkable for bravery, he did not well know how to answer the objections of his son, or what means to adopt, compatible with his own safety, for the preservation of his daughter’s corpse. But to his great joy, he was relieved from this dilemma by observing that the window opened to the inside upon hinges. “Deed ye’r no far wrang bairn,” he at length whispered cautiously. “But coodna ye open the window withoot ony noise, and play pap at them that way? for the door maunna be set up at nae rate. Oo maun keep oursels safe within the hoose, Sandy.” “But will’t no be murder, faither, to shoot without gien’ them timeous warnin’?” said Saundy. “Bless me, bairn, what a mercy ye thought on that! We maunna bring ony man’s blood aboon oor heads. But than if we speak, they’ll fin’ us oot, an’ maybe massacre us afore we hae time to fire, suld it sae happen it they’r no aimin to tak’ their heels for’t.” “Keep us, ay, faither! I’se warran’ that be the upshot o’t. Here tak’ ye the gun, for I darna shoot her. I’m a’ trimmlin wi’ fear. O hear that, faither! what a wark
