of the latter lairds of Ellangovvan to prevent presumptuous strangers from incurring the dangers of the haunted vault—that very door supposed to be always locked, and the key of which was popularly said to be deposited with the presbytery—that very door opened suddenly, and the figure of Meg Merrilies, well known, though not seen for many a revolving year, was placed at once before the eyes of the startled Dominie! She stood immediately before him in the foot-path, confronting him so absolutely, that he could not avoid her except by fairly turning back, which his manhood prevented him from thinking of.
"I kenn'd ye wad be here," she said with her harsh and hollow voice; "I ken wha ye seek; but ye maun do my bidding."
"Get thee behind me!" said the alarmed Dommie—"Avoid ye!—Conjuro te, scelestissima—nequissima—spurcissima—iniquissima—atque miserrima—conjuro te!!!"—
