"Well, fortune is apt to circumduce the term upon us; but I think she may allow you to revise your condescendence." "How do you mean, my good friend ?" "Nay," said Fairscribe, "there is ill luck in averring till one is sure of his facts.

I will look back on a file of newspapers, and to-morrow you shall hear from me.

Come, help yourself--I have seen you fill your glass higher." "And shall see it again," said I, pouring out what remained of our bottle of claret; "the wine is capital, and so shall our toast be--'To your fireside, my good friend.' And now we shall go beg a Scots song without foreign graces from my little siren, Miss Katie." The next day, accordingly, I received a parcel from Mr.Fairscribe with a newspaper enclosed, among the advertisements of which one was marked with a cross as requiring my attention.

I read, to my surprise:-- "DESIRABLE ESTATE FOR SALE.
"By order of the Lords of Council and Session, will be exposed to sale in the New Sessions House of Edinburgh, on Wednesday, the 25th November, 18--, all and whole the lands and barony of Glentanner, now called Castle Treddles, lying in the Middle Ward of Clydesdale, and shire of Lanark, with the teinds, parsonage and vicarage, fishings in the Clyde, woods, mosses, moors, and pasturages," etc., etc.
The advertisement went on to set forth the advantages of the soil, situation, natural beauties, and capabilities of improvement, not forgetting its being a freehold estate, with the particular polypus capacity of being sliced up into two, three, or, with a little assistance, four freehold qualifications, and a hint that the county was likely to be eagerly contested between two great families.

The upset price at which "the said lands and barony and others" were to be exposed was thirty years' purchase of the proven rental, which was about a fourth more than the property had fetched at the last sale.