"Umph!" said Mr. Lockhard; "and if I may inquire, Mr. Balderstone, pray
do you find your people at the village yonder amenable? for I must needs
say, that at Ravenswood Castle, now pertaining to my master the Lord
Keeper, ye have not left behind ye the most compliant set of tenantry."

"Ah! but Mr. Lockhard," replied Caleb, "ye must consider there has been
a change of hands, and the auld lord might expect twa turns frae them,
when the new-comer canna get ane. A dour and fractious set they were,
thae tenants of Ravenswood, and ill to live wi' when they dinna ken
their master; and if your master put them mad ance, the whole country
will not put them down."

"Troth," said Mr. Lockhard, "an such be the case, I think the wisest
thing for us a' wad be to hammer up a match between your young lord and
our winsome young leddy up-bye there; and Sir William might just stitch
your auld barony to her gown-sleeve, and he wad sune cuitle another out
o' somebody else, sic a lang head as he has."

Caleb shook his head. "I wish," he said--"I wish that may answer, Mr.
Lockhard. There are auld prophecies about this house I wad like ill to
see fulfilled wi' my auld een, that has seen evil eneugh already."