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Rh she added, as the young man walked on rapidly through the fields to reach the high-way—which led to one of the market towns in the south of Scotland. The person thus addressed was a youth about twenty; tall, stout, and active, who, having been brought up by his aunt in the country, and afterwards settled in the county town, used occasionally to visit his relation, and had this time brought with him a supply of the newly imported and novel article—tea, of which Elspeth was particularly fond. Edward possessed a clear and cool head, and a spirit which had already borne him through several severe trials, and though the path which he now trod bore a bad name in the neighbourhood, a feeling of confidence and courage swelled his heart when he surveyed his well formed limbs and sinewy arm. As he proceeded, an odd mixture of singing and recitative fell on his ear, and he soon recognized the chorus of a popular carol,—

A turn of the road shewed the worshipper of Bacchus in the person of a thick set, broad shouldered hind, who, notwithstanding his libations, made a tolerable attempt at progressive motion, and he rolled up to Edward with that free, hail-fellow-well-met sort of a manner, that, for the time routs all ideas of distinction. Edward, who knew how to humour a tipsy fellow, shook his proffered hand, and was passing on with the customary "Gude e'en," but this was denied till he had also