k the labour of thrashing half the people in the
market, not to mention the risk which he would run of being thrashed
himself. Finding that this plan would not do, it were difficult to say
if he did not entertain serious thoughts of making a pilgrimage to the
River Earn, for the purpose of drowning himself, or of taking signal
vengeance upon the hard-hearted maiden in some other way; but, as
farther speculations upon the subject, in the existing state of our
information, must be purely conjectural, it were absurd to follow
them. In the beginning of his despair, he looked down, as men very
naturally do; but, in the middle of it, he looked up, to see what was
to be done, and there he saw Nelly, who was not so easily "lost i' the
thrang" as he had imagined, standing close beside him, and regarding
him with a look of real compassion, which contrasted strongly with the
malicious smile of the other damsel.

"Dinna vex yersel owre sair, Jock," said she, "though Lizzie's awa wi'
anither lad; when he leaves her, I'll warrant she'll be glad to see ye
again."

"The deil confound her and her lads baith!" said Jock, his despair
beginning to pass off in a passion. "If ever I gae near her again, may
I fa' and brak my leg i' the first burn I cross! Ye're worth at least
five dozen o' her yersel, Nelly; and, if ye can let byganes be
byganes, and gang wi' me through the market, I'll let her see, afore
lang, that I can get anither sweetheart, though she should gang and
hang hersel!"

This sudden change in Jock's sentiments must have been produced by
what is commonly called a _reaction_. But Nelly, who had no
inclination for being thus shown off, tried to persuade him to desist
from his present purpose.

"Na, na, Jock," said she, "we'll no gang trailin through the market
like twa _pointers_ tethered thegither wi' a string, for fear the
youngest ane should rin aff. But, if ye like, Ise try to keep sicht o'
ye; and, if ye like too, we'll gang hame afore it's late, for it wad
vex me sair to see you spendin your siller _unwordily_, and still
sairer to hear tell o' ye gettin ony fricht about the glen. Sae, if ye
think me worth your while, we can gang hame thegither, and I'll tak
your arm after we're on the road. If a lad hae ony wark wi' a lass, or
a lass ony wark wi' a lad, it's no the best way to be lettin a' the
warld ken about it."

With her care, and the wisdom of her counsel upon this occasion, Jock
felt sensibly touched.

"Aweel,