served five or six of the troopers, who, covered with dust, had galloped in to announce that the enemy were in full march westward along the coast. Passing still a little farther on, he was struck with a groan which issued from a hovel,-he approached the spot, and heard a voice, in the provincial English of his native county, which endeavoured, though frequently interrupted by pain, to repeat the Lord's Prayer. The voice of distress always found a ready answer in our hero's bosom. He entered the hovel, which seemed to be intended for what is called, in the pastoral counties of Scotland, a smearing-house; and in its obscurity Edward could only at first discern a sort of red bundle; for those who had stripped the wounded man of his arms, and part of his clothes, had left him the dragoon-cloak in which he was enveloped.

"For the sake of God," said the wounded man, as he heard Waverley's step, give me a single drop of water!"

"You shall have it," answered Waverley, at the same time raising him in his arms, bearing him to the door of the hut, and giving him some drink from his flask.

“I should know that voice," answered the man; but looking on Edward's dress with a bewildered look,-" no, this is not the young squire.”

This was the common phrase by which Edward was distinguished on the estate of Waverley-Honour, and the sound now thrilled to his heart with the thousand recollections which the well-known accents of his native country had already contributed to awaken. "Houghton!" he said, gazing on the ghastly features which death was fast disfiguring," can this be you?"

"I never thought to hear an English voice again,” said the wounded man; "they left me to live or die here as I could, when they found I could say nothing about the strength of the regiment. But, O! squire, how could you stay from us so long, and let us be tempted by that fiend of the pit,

Ruffin; we would have followed you through flood and fire, to be sure."

"Ruffin! I assure you, Houghton, you have been vilely imposed upon."..

"I often thought so," said Houghton, "though they shewed us your very seal; and so Timms was shot, and I was reduced to the ranks."

"Do not exhaust your strength in speaking," said Edward, "I will get you a surgeon presently."

He saw Mac-Ivor approaching, who was now returning from head-quarters, where he had attended a council of war, and hastened to meet him. "Brave news!" shouted the Chief; "we shall be at it in less than two hours. The Prince has put himself at the head of the advance; and, as he drew his sword, called out, My friends, I have thrown away the scabbard.' Come, Waverley, we move instantly."

A moment,-a moment; this poor prisoner is dying ;—where shall I find a surgeon ?"

"Why, where should you Pwe have none, you know, but two or three French fellows, who, I believe, are little better than Garçons apothecaires."

.." But the man will bleed to death." : Poor fellow! But it will be a thousand inen's fate before night; so come along." "I cannot; I tell you he is son of a tenant of my uncle's."

O, if he's a follower of yours, he must be looked to; I'll send Callum to you; but diaoul!ceade millia molligheart," continued the impatient chieftain,—“ what made an old soldier, like Bradwardine, send dying men here to cumber us?”

1

Callum came with his usual alertness, and, indeed, Waverley rather gained than lost on the opinion of the Highlanders, by his anxiety about the wounded man. They would not have understood the general philanthropy, which rendered it almost impossible for Waverley to have past any person in such distress; but, as appre

hending that the sufferer was one of his following, they unanimously allowed that Waverley's conduct was that of a kind and considerate chieftain, who merited the attachment of his people. In about a quarter of an hour poor Humphry breathed his last, praying his young master, when he returned to Waverley-Honour, to be kind to old Job Houghton and his dame, and conjuring him not to fight with these wild petticoat-men against old England.

When his last breath was drawn, Wayerley, who had beheld with sincere sorrow, and no slight tinge of remorse, the final agonies of mortality, now witnessed for the first time, commanded Callum to remove the body into the hut. This the young Highlander performed, not without examining the pockets of the defunct, which, however, he remarked, had been pretty well spung'd. He took the cloak, however, and proceeding with the provident caution of a spaniel hiding a bone,