But I'm not for
a dress of the blue and white. Mysie Cairns in The Sixteenth has one,
and that's enough for one township."

"But Mr Rugg will not open his packs here; we want nothing," said
Shenac Bhan, "unless he may have dye-stuffs for my mother."

"He has no dye-stuffs--you'll get that at The Eleventh," said Shenac
Dhu; "but it's nonsense about not wanting anything. I'll venture to say
that Mr Rugg will leave more here than he left at our house, or at any
house in the town-ship. I wish he would come."

They all had plenty to say to Shenac Dhu, but that her mind was full of
other things it was easy to see. She laughed and chatted, but she
watched the window till the long, high waggon of the peddler came in
sight, and then she drew Shenac Bhan into a corner and kept her there
till the door opened.

"Good-morning, good-morning," said the peddler as he came in. Glancing
round the room, he stood still on the door-mat with a comical look of
indecision on his face. "I don't suppose you want to see me enough to
pay for the tracks I shall make on the floor," he said to Shenac Bhan.
"I don't know as I should have come round this way this time, only I've
got something for you--something you'll be glad to have."

Everybody was indignant at the idea of his not coming in.

"Never mind the floor," said Shenac Bhan. "We don't want anything
to-day, but we are glad to see you all the same."

"Don't say you don't want anything till you see what I've got," said Mr
Rugg gravely. "I ha'n't no doubt there's a heap of things you would
like, if you could get them. Now, a'n't there?"

"She wants a wig, for one thing," said Shenac Dhu.

"Well, no; I calculate she'll get along without that as well as most
folks. I don't see as you spoiled your looks, for all Mrs More said,"
he added, as he touched with his long forefinger one of the little rings
that clustered round Shenac's head. "Come, now, a'n't there something
I've got that you want?" he asked as Shenac turned away with an
impatient shrug.

"No; not if you haven't a wig. Do we want anything, mother? It is not
worth while to open your box in the rain."

Mr Rugg was already out of hearing.

"We can look at them, at any rate," said Shenac Dhu. But Shenac Bhan
looked very much as if she did not intend to do even that, till the door
opened again, and Mr Rugg walked in, followed by Dan, and between them
they carried a spinning-wheel.

"A big wheel, just like Mary M