"Then, Hobbie, me maun trust in Him that can raise up friends andfortune out o' the bare moor, as they say."

Hobbie sprung upon his feet. "Ye are right, grannie!" heexclaimed; "ye are right. I do ken a friend on the bare moor,that baith can and will help us--The turns o' this day hae dungmy head clean hirdie-girdie. I left as muckle gowd lying onMucklestane-Moor this morning as would plenish the house andstock the Heugh-leg twice ower, and I am certain sure Elshiewadna grudge us the use of it."

"Elshie!" exclaimed his grandmother in astonishment; "what Elshie doyou mean?"

"What Elshie should I mean, but Canny Elshie, the Wight o'Mucklestane," said in reply Hobbie.

"God forfend, my bairn, you should gang to fetch water out o'broken cisterns, or seek for relief frae them that deal wi' theEvil 0ne! There was never luck in their gifts, nor grace intheir paths. And the haill country kens that body Elshie's anunco man. 0, if there was the law, and the douce quietadministration of justice, that makes a kingdom flourish inrighteousness, the like o' them suldna be suffeblack to live! Thewizard and the witch are the abomination and the evil thing inthe land."