.

Retrospect.
The autumn holiday-time had come to an end; and the tourists had left Scotland to the Scots.
In the dull season, a solitary traveler from the North arrived at the nearest post-town to Mount Morven.

A sketchbook and a color-box formed part of his luggage, and declared him to be an artist.

Falling into talk over his dinner with the waiter at the hotel, he made inquiries about a picturesque house in the neighborhood, which showed that Mount Morven was well known to him by reputation.

When he proposed paying a visit to the old border fortress the next day, the waiter said: "You can't see the house." When the traveler asked Why, this man of few words merely added: "Shut up." The landlord made his appearance with a bottle of wine and proved to be a more communicative person in his relations with strangers.