, until, having rolled on for about three miles beyond the place at which
they met, the carriages at length stopped at the sign of the Four Horse-shoes, a
small hedge inn, where Caxon humbly opened the door, and let down the step of
the hack-chaise, while the inmates of the barouche were, by their more courtly
attendants, assisted to leave their equipage.
    Here renewed greetings passed: the young ladies shook hands; and Oldbuck,
completely in his element, placed himself as guide and cicerone at the head of
the party, who were now to advance on foot towards the object of their
curiosity. He took care to detain Lovel close beside him as the best listener of
the party, and occasionally glanced a word of explanation and instruction to
Miss Wardour and Mary M'Intyre, who followed next in order. The Baronet and the
clergyman he rather avoided, as he was aware both of them conceived they
understood such matters as well, or better than he did; and Dousterswivel,
besides that he looked on him as a charlatan, was so nearly connected with his
apprehended loss in the stock of the mining company, that he could not abide the
sight of him. These two latter satellites, therefore, attended upon the orb of
Sir Arthur, to whom, moreover, as the most important person of the society, they
were naturally induced to attach themselves.
    It frequently happens that the most beautiful points of Scottish scenery lie
hidden in some sequestered dell, and that you may travel through the country in
every direction without being aware of your vicinity to what is well worth
seeing, unless intention or accident carry you to the very spot. This is
particularly the case in the country around Fairport, which is, generally
speaking, open, unenclosed, and bare. But here and there the progress of rills,
or small rivers, has formed dells, glens, or as they are provincially termed,
dens, on whose high and rocky banks trees and shrubs of all kinds find a
shelter, and grow with a luxuriant profusion, which is the more gratifying, as
it forms an unexpected contrast with the general face of the country. This was
eminently the case with the approach to the ruins of Saint Ruth, which was for
some time merely a sheep-track, along the side of a steep and bare hill. By
degrees, however, as this path descended, and winded round the hillside, trees
began to appear, at first singly, stunted, and blighted, with locks of wool upon
their trunks, and their roots hollowed out into recesses, in