these old settlers. But he was driven on by circumstances.

At the quarter-sessions our new Justice was publicly upbraided by
a gentleman of the opposite party in county politics, that, while
he affected a great zeal for the public police, and seemed
ambitious of the fame of an active magistrate, he fostered a tribe
of the greatest rogues in the country, and permitted them to
harbour within a mile of the house of Ellangowan. To this there
was no reply, for the fact was too evident and well known. The
Laird digested the taunt as he best could, and in his way home
amused himself with speculations on the easiest method of ridding
himself of these vagrants, who brought a stain upon his fair fame
as a magistrate. Just as he had resolved to take the first
opportunity of quarrelling with the pariahs of Derncleugh, a cause
of provocation presented itself.

Since our friend's advancement to be a conservator of the peace,
he had caused the gate at the head of his avenue, which formerly,
having only one hinge, remained at all times hospitably open--he
had caused this gate, I say, to be newly hung and handsomely
painted. He had also shut up with paling, curiously twisted with
furze, certain holes in the fences adjoining, through which the
gipsy boys used to scramble into the plantations to gather birds'
nests, the seniors of the village to make a short cut from one
point to another, and the lads and lasses for evening rendezvous--
all without offence taken or leave asked. But these halcyon days
were now to have an end, and a minatory inscription on one side of
the gate intimated 'prosecution according to law' (the painter had
spelt it 'persecution'--l'un vaut bien l'autre) to all who should
be found trespassing on these inclosures. On the other side, for