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 “To be sure, to be sure,” she said, putting her hand within her mother’s, “I’ll do whatever ye want me.—Ony thing, ony thing.”

At this very moment Robin Gray, whose coming oure the fields Walter had been him before hurrying in, tapped at the door, carrying in his hand a pair fat ducks; his first present o’ courtship to a famishing family.

It wad be needless here, and a wast baith of time and paper, to gang thro’ wi’ all the circumstantilities that took place before the wadding, which caused a titter of astonishnient and jeering laughter alang the haill shore of Fife. But married they were, to the no small consternation of sand-blind Nancy, the vetran housekeeper, wha heesitated about gieing up the keys; till at last, forced to believe her ain een, she concluded that the laird had grown donnard, and lost his right senses. Scarcely, less thunderstruck were Walter Grahame and his wife, when they fand what a few days had brought forth; but the accepted bills, the stockit pantry, and the calls of money, that scarce a week agone passed their door, like the Levite on the opposite side, assured them that all wasna a dream.

Jeanie saw her father and mother once more raised frae misery to comfort, and felt hersell the leddy of Stanedykes. Of guids and gear she had eneuch, and to spare. Some, of course, wad take it for granted she was happy; that, however, is another question.

It was in the thoughtfu’ month of September, when the yellowing leaves, the heavy clouds, and the shortening