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The minister, in a few days after this strange sight, was honoured by a visit.

of Sandy Glass, who came to the gate of the manse with a bundle under his arm, and wanted to see the minister. The minister was in his study preparing his sermon for the next Sunday; but Sandy had something to say to "his minister that na'body might ken but himsell."

The servant went and told the minister.

"Let him come in here, Betsy," was the answer.

Sandy enters the study, and makes the minister many apologies for disturbing "the servant o' his Saviour when he was preparing the bread o' But he could na rest a' last night, and he came the day to tell the truth."

life for them.

Sandy was bidden to sit down, and thus he began: "The young lady El

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len, Heaven keep her frae the death her father dee'd, gae me some o' the auld laird's clais. Poor Sauney Glass is just as wise as the Lord made him; but he kens mair than folks thinks o'; and the death o' the guid laird, his guid friend, gae him unco muckle trouble, and he hoppit the reekless murderer' wad be found out; he thought the finger o' God wad yet be pointed at whaever whippet a string round the neck o' the poor laird; and so he did a' he could to find out the murderer as weel as ither bodies, and he thought he had maist done it; but gif the minister did na' tak tent, they micht nae get him mony a day yet.

And Sandy went on to say, that he had told nobody of his plan to detect the murderer. He related in a long speech how much he had travelled over the island to watch the "gaits" of one man; and that it was from this man's

always attempting to avoid him, and turning from him with an angry look; but Sandy carried a good "jocktileg " with him, and if that man attempted to

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put hand to him, he would stick him as fast as he would a wild cat;" but as he never spoke to Sandy but in an angry tone, and reproached him for being an idle, wandering, lazy, daft, begging loon, Sandy knew words would never do him any harm; " and for a' that" he had not desisted to be on every road and in every wood and glen where he thought that man might be met; and he concluded by telling how that, as his mother had gone to the young laird's that day, though she had left him in charge of the house, he had come to the manse with that bundle, and to tell the minister what he had been doing with what was in it.

The minister looked at him with the most fixed attention' during his dis

course, and when he stopped, as if to have a pledge of secrecy from the good man, Mr. Thornhill strictly questioned him on whom his suspicions fell, and if he had entertained them long.

"Ever sine that dustie fute, Lerwick, was ill at Mr. Mactaggart's house." "How came you, Sandy, to suspect Lerwick ?"

"Gif ye'll nae be frichtet to see the auld laird again wi' the school-house hour-glass i' his haund, I'll baith tell ye and shew ye how I hae my thoughts." The minister assured him, lifting up a Bible, that with that book for his guide to "another and a better world," he would not be afraid to meet even Satan in the darkest night.

Sandy joined the good man in expressing his strength of mind in not fearing the deel; "for Sandy Glass had ne'er done ill, but killed once a neibour's hen, and he ken'd how Christ gart the

deel gang away frae him, and Sandy Glass thought if he had ony faith at a', the deel himsell and the fairies wham he ance feared mair than the deel, could na do him any skaith; and gif the minister wàd like to see the auld laird in his ain clais, Sandy Glass ken'd whare he was to be seen."

"Did I not tell you, Sandy, I am free of all fear on that score: come, tell me what you know immediately." Sandy now began to untie his bundle; and the first thing that offered itself to the minister's eyes, was the dominie's sand-glass.

"And you were the Ghost, Sandy?

Well, you have a stout heart; there are wise men in the island that would not try such tricks."

"Did na' ye say ye wad be quiet till I brought before your een the laird ?”. "Yes, I did, Sandy: dress yourself." Sandy dressed; then taking a piece of chalk from his pocket, he rubbed it

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