Page:Scott - Tales of my Landlord - 3rd series - 1819.djvu/227

Rh they're come to herry us out o' house and ha'."

"Why, Donald," said Lord Menteith, "you did not use to be so churlish of your beef and ale; southland though they be, they'll scarce eat up all the cattle that's going on the Castle mains."

"Teil care an they did," said Donald, "an that war the warst o't, for we have a wheen canny trewsmen here that wadna let us want if there was a horned beast atween this and Perth. But this is a warse job—its nae less than a wager."

"A wager;" repeated Lord Menteith, with some surprise.

"Troth," continued Donald, to the full as eager to tell his news as Lord Menteith was curious to hear them, "as your lordship is a friend and kinsman o' the house, an' as ye'll hear aneugh o't in less than an hour, I may as weel tell ye mysel. Ye sall be pleased then to know, that when our Laird was up in England, where he gangs