Page:Martha Spreull by Zachary Fleming.pdf/61

Rh I gaed ben and threatened to send for the pollis. They were actin’ a nigger extraveganzy wi’ their faces blackened. A.ne played the fiddle, anither the concerteeny, while the lads wi’ the clappers and the tamboreen faced up to ane anither and made sic a racket on the flair-head wi’ their heavy feet, that I thocht they wud bring doon the hoose.

“ Ah, yes," he gaed on, “ but the responsibilities of a parish soon make us lay aside and forget the follies of our youth.” “Very guid,” thinks I, “very guid, still they maunna let ye forget your lawfu’ debts.” Hooever, I saw it wudna dae to push him ower sair before his wife. So, as they were near my ain door, I inveeted them in to have some refreshment. It wis sometime before we could get a word by oorsels—but we took the first chance.

“ Mistress Spreull,” quoth he in a frichtet, hurriet kind o voice, “ for God’s-sake don’t say a word about my indebtedness to you before my wife.”

“Weel,” says I, “ye’ve been lang o’ mintin’ the maitter yersel’.”

“ True,” quoth he, “ but since getting settled I haven’t had much among my hands. My wife’s money is at her own disposal, and I cannot finger a penny without her knowledge. She’s of a jealous turn, and to ask her for such a sum as I owe you would rouse suspicion; in fact it would ruin me.”

The man wis sair puttin’ aboot; but he said if I wud help her wi’ her shopping—for she wis a stranger to the city—and relieve him, he wad call on some friends and see what could be dune. Th ere wis naething unreasonable in that; so when the mistress cam’ ben, it was sune arranged, an’ she an’ I got on oor things an’ set aff to the toon.

I took her to see twa’r three respectable shops where I wis weel kent mysel’, and I wis black affronted at the wye she