" "No matter for that," said
the first, "we cannot have our power set at defiance; though we
should put them on the thief's hole, we must catch them, and
catch them with their own bait, too. Come all to church to-
morrow, and I'll let you hear how I'll gull the saints of
Auchtermuchty. in the meantime, there is a feast on the Sidlaw
hills tonight, below the hill of Macbeth--Mount, Diabolus, and
fly." Then, with loud croaking and crowing, the bridal of corbies
again scaled the dusky air, and left Robin Ruthven in the middle
of his cairn.
"'The next day the congregation met in the kirk of
Auchtermuchty, but the minister made not his appearance. The
elder ran out and in making inquiries; but they could learn
nothing, save that the minister was missing. They ordered the
clerk to sing a part of the 119th Psalm, until they saw if the
minister would cast up. The clerk did as he was ordered, and, by
the time he reached the 77th verse, a strange divine entered the
church, by the western door, and advanced solemnly up to the
pulpit. The eyes of all the congregation were riveted on the
sublime stranger, who was clothed in a robe of black sackcloth,
that flowed all around him, and trailed far behind, and they
weened him an angel, come to exhort them, in disguise.
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