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 you, as I suspected you would not let me part from you so easily."

"But whar are ye gaun, then?" said Ailie, once more: "Saw e'er mortal e'en the like o' you, just to come ae moment, and iflee awa' like an arrow out of a bow the neist!"

"I must go down," replied Morton, "to Niel Blane the Piper's Howff; he can give me a bed, I suppose?"

"A bed?—I'se warrant can he," replied Ailie, "and gar ye pay weel for't into the bargain. Laddie, I dare say ye hae lost your wits in thae foreign parts, to gang and gi'e siller for a supper and a bed, and might hae baith for naething, and thanks t'ye for accepting them."

"I assure you, Ailie," said Morton, desirous to silence her remonstrances, "that this is a business of great importance, in which I may be a great gainer, and cannot possibly be a loser."

"I dinna see how that can be, if ye begin by gi'eing maybe the feck o' twal shil-