THE GOLD OF FAIRNILEE. 249

 

Then Randal tugged at the cloths, and then
they all heard a little shrill cry.

“Why, it’s a bairn!” said Lady Ker, who
had sat very grave all the time, pleased to have
done the English some harm; for they had
killed her husband, and were all her deadly
foes. “It’s a bairn!” she cried, and pulled
out of the great heap of cloaks and rugs a
little beautiful child, in its white nightdress,
with its yellow curls all tangled over its blue ©
eyes.

Then Lady Ker and the old nurse could not
make too much of the pretty English child that
had come here in such a wonderful way.

How did it get mixed up with all the spoil ?
~ and how had it been carried so far on horse-
back without being hurt? Nobody ever knew.
It came as if the fairies had sent it. English
it was, but the best Scot could not hate such a
pretty child. Old Nancy Dryden ran up to
the old nursery with it, and laid it in a
great wooden tub full of hot water, and was
giving it warm milk to drink, and dandling
it, almost before the men knew what had
happened. :

“Yon bairn will be a bonny mate for you,
Maister Randal,” said old Simon Grieve.
“°’Deed, I dinna think her kin will come
speering* after her at Fairnilee. The Red
Cock’s crawing ower Hardriding Ha’ this day,

* Asking.

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