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and　routh　of　hair；　a　pigtail　as　thick's　my　arm；'　I　said；　‘and　the　

bonniest　colour　like　the　clear　gowden　guineas；　so　as　the　lads　in　kirk'll　

no　can　keep　their　eyes　off　it！'　　Weel；　it　lasted　out　her　time；　puir　

thing！　　I　cuttit　a　lock　of　it　upon　her　corp　that　was　lying　there　sae　

cauld。　　I'll　show　it　ye　some　of　thir　days　if　ye're　good。　　But；　as　I　was　

sayin'；　my　mither　…　〃



On　the　death　of　the　father　there　remained　golden…haired　Kirstie；　who　

took　service　with　her　distant　kinsfolk；　the　Rutherfords；　and　black…a…

vised　Gilbert；　twenty　years　older；　who　farmed　the　Cauldstaneslap；　

married；　and　begot　four　sons　between　1773　and　1784；　and　a　daughter；　like　

a　postscript；　in　'97；　the　year　of　Camperdown　and　Cape　St。　Vincent。　　It　

seemed　it　was　a　tradition　in　the　family　to　wind　up　with　a　belated　girl。　　

In　1804；　at　the　age　of　sixty；　Gilbert　met　an　end　that　might　be　called　

heroic。　　He　was　due　home　from　market　any　time　from　eight　at　night　till　

five　in　the　morning；　and　in　any　condition　from　the　quarrelsome　to　the　

speechless；　for　he　maintained　to　that　age　the　goodly　customs　of　the　

Scots　farmer。　　It　was　known　on　this　occasion　that　he　had　a　good　bit　of　

money　to　bring　home；　the　word　had　gone　round　loosely。　　The　laird　had　

shown　his　guineas；　and　if　anybody　had　but　noticed　it；　there　was　an　ill…

looking；　vagabond　crew；　the　scum　of　Edinburgh；　that　drew　out　of　the　

market　long　ere　it　was　dusk　and　took　the　hill…road　by　Hermiston；　where　

it　was　not　to　be　believed　that　they　had　lawful　business。　　One　of　the　

country…side；　one　Dickieson；　they　took　with　them　to　be　their　guide；　and　

dear　he　paid　for　it！　　Of　a　sudden　in　the　ford　of　the　Broken　Dykes；　this　

vermin　clan　fell　on　the　laird；　six　to　one；　and　him　three　parts　asleep；　

having　drunk　hard。　　But　it　is　ill　to　catch　an　Elliott。

For　a　while；　in　the　night　and　the　black　water　that　was　deep　as　to　his　

saddle…girths；　he　wrought　with　his　staff　like　a　smith　at　his　stithy；　and　

great　was　the　sound　of　oaths　and　blows。　　With　that　the　ambuscade　was　

burst；　and　he　rode　for　home　with　a　pistol…ball　in　him；　three　knife　

wounds；　the　loss　of　his　front　teeth；　a　broken　rib　and　bridle；　and　a　

dying　horse。　　That　was　a　race　with　death　that　the　laird　rode！　　In　the　

mirk　night；　with　his　broken　bridle　and　his　head　swimming；　he　dug　his　

spurs　to　the　rowels　in　the　horse's　side；　and　the　horse；　that　was　even　

worse　off　than　himself；　the　poor　creature！　screamed　out　loud　like　a　

person　as　he　went；　so　that　the　hills　echoed　with　it；　and　the　folks　at　

Cauldstaneslap　got　to　their　feet　about　the　table　and　looked　at　each　

other　with　white　faces。　　The　horse　fell　dead　at　the　yard　gate；　the　laird　

won　the　length　of　the　house　and　fell　there　on　the　threshold。　　To　the　son　

that　raised　him　he　gave　the　bag　of　money。　　〃Hae；〃　said　he。　　All　the　way　

up　the　thieves　had　seemed　to　him　to　be　at　his　heels；　but　now　the　

hallucination　left　him　…　he　saw　them　again　in　the　place　of　the　ambuscade　

…　and　the　thirst　of　vengeance　seized　on　his　dying　mind。　　Raising　himself　

and　pointing　with　an　imperious　finger　into　the　black　night　from　which　he　

had　come；　he　uttered　the　single　command；　〃Brocken　Dykes；〃　and　fainted。　　

He　had　never　been　loved；　but　he　had　been　feared　in　honour。　　At　that　

sight；　at　that　word；　gasped　out　at　them　from　a　toothless　and　bleeding　

mouth；　the　old　Elliott　spirit　awoke　with　a　shout　in　the　four　sons。

〃Wanting　the　hat；〃　continues　my　author；　Kirstie；　whom　I　but　haltingly　

follow；　for　she　told　this　tale　like　one　inspired；　〃wanting　guns；　for　

there　wasna　twa　grains　o'　pouder　in　the　house；　wi'　nae　mair　weepons　than　

their　sticks　into　their　hands；　the　fower　o'　them　took　the　road。　　Only　

Hob；　and　that　was　the　eldest；　hunkered　at　the　doorsill　where　the　blood　

had　rin；　fyled　his　hand　wi'　it　…　and　haddit　it　up　to　Heeven　in　the　way　

o'　the　auld　Border　aith。　　‘Hell　shall　have　her　ain　again　this　nicht！'　he　

raired；　and　rode　forth　upon　his　earrand。〃　　It　was　three　miles　to　Broken　

Dykes；　down　hill；　and　a　sore　road。　　Kirstie　has　seen　men　from　Edinburgh　

dismounting　there　in　plain　day　to　lead　their　horses。　　But　the　four　

brothers　rode　it　as　if　Auld　Hornie　were　behind　and　Heaven　in　front。　　

Come　to　the　ford；　and　there　was　Dickieson。　　By　all　tales；　he　was　not　

dead；　but　breathed　and　reared　upon　his　elbow；　and　cried　out　to　them　for　

help。　　It　was　at　a　graceless　face　that　he　asked　mercy。　　As　soon　as　Hob　

saw；　by　the　glint　of　the　lantern；　the　eyes　shining　and　the　whiteness　of　

the　teeth　in　the　man's　face；　〃Damn　you！〃　says　he；　〃ye　hae　your　teeth；　

hae　ye？〃　and　rode　his　horse　to　and　fro　upon　that　human　remnant。　　Beyond　

that；　Dandie　must　dismount　with　the　lantern　to　be　their　guide；　he　was　

the　youngest　son；　scarce　twenty　at　the　time。　　〃A'　nicht　long　they　gaed　

in　the　wet　heath　and　jennipers；　and　whaur　they　gaed　they　neither　knew　

nor　cared；　but　just　followed　the　bluid　stains　and　the　footprints　o'　

their　faither's　murderers。　　And　a'　nicht　Dandie　had　his　nose　to　the　

grund　like　a　tyke；　and　the　ithers　followed　and　spak'　naething；　neither　

black　nor　white。　　There　was　nae　noise　to　be　heard；　but　just　the　sough　of　

the　swalled　burns；　and　Hob；　the　dour　yin；　risping　his　teeth　as　he　gaed。〃　　

With　the　first　glint　of　the　morning　they　saw　they　were　on　the　drove　

road；　and　at　that　the　four　stopped　and　had　a　dram　to　their　breakfasts；　

for　they　knew　that　Dand　must　have　guided　them　right；　and　the　rogues　

could　be　but　little　ahead；　hot　foot　for　Edinburgh　by　the　way　of　the　

Pentland　Hills。　　By　eight　o'clock　they　had　word　of　them　…　a　shepherd　had　

seen　four　men　〃uncoly　mishandled〃　go　by　in　the　last　hour。　　〃That's　yin　a　

piece；〃　says　Clem；　and　swung　his　cudgel。　　〃Five　o'　them！〃　says　Hob。　　

〃God's　death；　but　the　faither　was　a　man！　　And　him　drunk！〃　　And　then　

there　befell　them　what　my　author　termed　〃a　sair　misbegowk；〃　for　they　

were　overtaken　by　a　posse　of　mounted　neighbours　come　to　aid　in　the　

pursuit。　　Four　sour　faces　looked　on　the　reinforcement。　　〃The　Deil's　

broughten　you！〃　said　Clem；　and　they　rode　thenceforward　in　the　rear　of　

the　party　with　hanging　heads。　　Before　ten　they　had　found　and　secured　the　

rogues；　and　by　three　of　the　afternoon；　as　they　rode　up　the　Vennel　with　

their　prisoners；　they　were　aware　of　a　concourse　of　people　bearing　in　

their　midst　something　that　dripped。　　〃For　the　boady　of　the　saxt；〃　

pursued　Kirstie；　〃wi'　his　head　smashed　like　a　hazelnit；　had　been　a'　that　

nicht　in　the　chairge　o'　Hermiston　Water；　and　it　dunting　it　on　the　

stanes；　and　grunding　it　on　the　shallows；　and　flinging　the　deid　thing　

heels…ower…hurdie　at　the　Fa's　o'　Spango；　and　in　the　first　o'　the　day；　

Tweed　had　got　a　hold　o'　him　and　carried　him　off　like　a　wind；　for　it　was　

uncoly　swalled；　and　raced　wi'　him；　bobbing　under　brae…sides；　and　was　

long　playing　with　the　creature　in　the　drumlie　lynns　under　the　castle；　

and　at　the　hinder　end　of　all　cuist　him　up　on　the　starling　of　

Crossmichael　brig。　　Sae　there　they　were　a'thegither　at　last　（for　

Dickieson　had　been　brought　in　on　a　cart　long　syne）；　and　folk　could　see　

what　mainner　o'man　my　brither　had　been　that　had　held　his　head　again　sax　

and　saved　the　siller；　and　him　drunk！〃　　Thus　died　of　honourable　injuries　

and　in　the　savour　of　fame　Gilbert　Elliott　of　the　Cauldstaneslap；　but　his　

sons　had　scarce　less　glory　out　of　the　business。　　Their　savage　haste；　the　

skill　with　which　Dand　had　found　and　followed　the　trail；　the　barbarity　to　

the　wounded　Dickieson　（which　was　like　an　open　secret　in　the　county）；　and　

the　doom　which　it　was　currently　supposed　they　had　intended　for　the　

others；　struck　and　stirred　popular　imagination。　　Some　century　earlier　

the　last　of　the　minstrels　might　have　fashioned　the　last　of　the　ballads　

out　of　that　Homeric　fight　and　chase；　but　the　spirit　was　dead；　or　had　

been　reincarnated　already　in　Mr。　Sheriff　Scott；　and　the　degenerate　

moorsmen　must　be　content　to　tell　the　tale　in　prose；　and　to　make　of　the　

〃Four　Black　Brothers〃　a　unit　after　the　fashion　of　the　〃Twelve　Apostles〃　

or　the　〃Three　Musketeers。〃



Robert；　Gilbert；　Clement；　and　Andrew　…　in　the　proper　Border　diminutives；　

Hob；　Gib；　Clem；　and　Dand　Elliott　…　these　ballad　heroes；　had　much　in　

common；　in　particular；　their　high　sense　of　the　family　and　the　family　

honour；　but　they　went　diverse　ways；　and　prospered　and　failed　in　

different　businesses。　　According　to　Kirstie；　〃they　had　a'　bees　in　their　

bonnets　but　Hob。〃　　Hob　the　laird　was；　indeed；　essentially　a　decent　man。　　

An　elder　of　the　Kirk；　nobody　had　heard　an　oath　upon　his　lips；　save　

perhaps　thrice　or　so　at　the　sheep…washing；　since　the　chase　of　his　

father's　murderers。　　The　figure　he　had　shown　on　that　eventful　night　

disappeared　as　if　swallowed　by　a　trap。　　He　who　had　ecstatically　dipped　

his　hand　in　the　red　blood；　he　who　had　ridden　down　Dickieson；　became；　

from　that　moment　on；　a　stiff　and　rather　graceless　model　of　the　rustic　

proprieties；　cannily　profiting　by　the　high　war　prices；　and　yearly　

stowing　away　a　little　nest…egg　in　the　bank　against　calamity；　approved　of　

and　sometimes　consulted　by　the　greater　lairds　for　the　massive　and　placid　

sense　of　what　he　said；　when　he　could　be　induced　to　say　anything；　and　

particularly　valued　by　the　minister；　Mr。　Torrance；　as　a　right…hand　man　

in　the　parish；　and　a　model　to　parents。　　The　transfiguration　had　been　for　

the　moment　only；　some　Barbarossa；　some　old　Adam　of　our　ancestors；　sleeps　

in　all　of　us　till　the　fit　circumstance　shall　call　it　into　action；　and；　

for　as　sober　as　he　now　seemed；　Hob　had　given　once　for　all　the　measure　of　

the　devil　that　haunted　him。　　He　was　married；　and；　by　reason　of　the　

effulgence　of　that　legendary　night；　was　adored　by　his　wife。

He　had　a　mob　of　little　lusty；　barefoot　children　who　marched　in　a　caravan　

the　long　miles　to　school；　the　stages　of　whose　pilgrimage　were　marked　by　

acts　of　spoliation　and　mischief；　and　who　were　qualified　in　the　country…

side　as　〃fair　pests。〃　　But　in　the　house；　if　〃faither　was　in；〃　they　were　

quiet　as　mice。　　In　short；　Hob　moved　through　life　in　a　great　peace　…　the