themarvelofchildrenandofsomegrownpeopletoo，myselfforone，whocanneithercomprehendthemysteryhowithasgotin，orhowitistobetakenout。Thecavewasverynarrow，toolowintherooftoadmitofhisstanding，oralmostofhissittingup，thoughhemadesomeawkwardattemptsatthelatterposture。HissoleamusementwastheperusalofhisoldfriendTitusLivius，variedbyoccasionallyscratchingLatinproverbsandtextsofScripturewithhisknifeontheroofandwallsofhisfortalice，whichwereofsandstone。Asthecavewasdry，andfilledwithcleanstrawandwitheredfern。itmade，’’ashesaid，coilinghimselfupwithanairofsnugnessandcomfortwhichcontrastedstrangelywithhissituation，unlesswhenthewindwasduenorth，averypassablegteforanoldsoldier。’’Neither，asheobserved，washewithoutsentriesforthepurposeofreconnoitring。Davieandhismotherwereconstantlyonthewatch，todiscoverandavertdanger；anditwassingularwhatinstancesofaddressseemeddictatedbytheinstinctiveattachmentofthepoorsimpleton，whenhispatron’ssafetywasconcerned。
WithJanet，Edwardnowsoughtaninterview。HehadrecognisedheratfirstsightastheoldwomanwhohadnursedhimduringhissicknessafterhisdeliveryfromGiftedGilfillan。Thehut，also，thoughalittlerepaired，andsomewhatbetterfurnished，wascertainlytheplaceofhisconfinement；andhenowrecollectedonthecommonmoorofTully-Veolanthetrunkofalargedecayedtree，calledthe_trysting-tree，_whichhehadnodoubtwasthesameatwhichtheHighlandersrendezvousedonthatmemorablenight。Allthishehadcombinedinhisimaginationthenightbefore；butreasons，whichmayprobablyoccurtothereader，preventedhimfromcatechizingJanetinthepresenceoftheBaron。
Henowcommencedthetaskingoodearnest；andthefirstquestionwas，Whowastheyoungladythatvisitedthehutduringhisillness？Janetpausedforalittle；andthenobserved，thattokeepthesecretnow，wouldneitherdogoodnorilltoanybody，Itwasjustaleddythathasnaherequalintheworld-MissRoseBradwardine。’’
ThenMissRosewasprobablyalsotheauthorofmydeliverance，’’
inferredWaverley，delightedattheconfirmationofanideawhichlocalcircumstanceshadalreadyinducedhimtoentertain。