Page:Tales of my landlord (Volume 4).djvu/186

 "d'ye think I am to be John Tamson's man, and maistered by women a' the days o' my life?"

"And wha's man wad ye be? And wha wad ye hae to maister ye but me, Cuddie lad?" answered Jenny. "I'll gar ye comprehend in the making of a hay-band. Naebody kens that this young gentleman lives but oursels, and frae that he keeps himsel up sae close, I am judging that he's purposing, if he fand Miss Edith either married, or just gaun to be married, he wad just slide awa' easy and gi'e them nae mair trouble.—But if Miss Edith kenn'd that he was living, and if she were standing before the very minister wi' Lord Evandale when it was tauld to her, she wad say no when she suld say yes."

"Weel," replied Cuddie, "and what's my business wi' that? if Miss Edith likes her auld joe better than her new ane, what for suld she no be free to change her mind like ither folk?—Ye ken, Jenny, Halliday