220 ANDREW HERON AND HIS KINSFOLK. 
again for it to be given in Dr Andrew’s favour by the House 
of Lords in 1770. 
* Before the actions were over both Patrick I. and his son 
Patrick Il. of Kirrouchtree were dead, and the whole cost of 
the litigation as well as the repayments of the rents and 
revenues of Bargally fell on Patrick I1I., who now held sway 
at the ancient home. 
Dr Andrew Heron took up his residence at Bargally, ut 
after twelve years he tired of it and sold it to Mr William 
Hanney in 1783, and went to live in Edinburgh, where he 
died two years later. The new owner says Loudon was 
‘ scarce of cash,’’ and cut down in 1791 the wood of Bargally, 
‘including many of the fine trees that had been introduced 
and planted by Andrew Heron.’’ Thus ended the glories of 
Bargally and its renowned garden. 
Later on Hanney sold the place to James M‘Kie of Pol- 
gown, in the hands of whose descendants it still remains. 
It would be interesting if there existed even a letter, still 
more so a picture, of Andrew Heron. If there is such I. do 
not know of it; I have never seen his handwriting, and can 
form no fancy of his appearance. Of a person who was so 
well known in his time there is singularly little gossip, though 
there is one tale in Scott’s Guy Mannering in which the hero 
is indubitably Andrew Heron. In the “‘ additional notes ”’ to 
that novel the prototype of Meg Merrilies is said to have 
been Flora Marshall, one of the seventeen wives that Willie 
married. This Willie Marshall, more commonly known as 
the King of the Gipsies of the Western Lowlands, was in his 
youth little better than a highwayman, and in that capacity 
attacked ‘‘ the Laird of Bargally.’’ In the scuffle Willie lost 
his bonnet, and the Laird his purse. A respectable farmer 
coming along picked up the cap and put it on his head, but 
Bargally meeting him and recognising the cap had him arrested 
and charged with highway robbery. At the trial matters were 
going badly for the farmer, when Willie pressed forward and 
placed the cap on his head, and said :—‘‘ Look at me, sir, 
and tell me, by the oath you have sworn, am I not the man 
who robbed you between Carsphairn and Dalmellington ?”’ 
Bargally replied :—‘‘ By heaven! you are the very man,” 
