unning to meet me--my love."

By this time old Kate had forgotten her troubles, and was away back in
her youth, when, if all accounts be true, there were few, few fit to
hold a candle to her wild beauty or devilry.

"Och, the nights like this would not be hindering the ploys when my leg
was the talk o' a parish, and my cheeks like the wild red rose. We had
a' the lads to pick and choose among, Bell and me; and mora, it was not
gear they cam' courting for.

"There was a time we slept in the bochan to be nearer the beasts, we
would be telling the old ones, but maybe it was not for that at all,
for your grandfather was raiking then, Dan McBride, it kinna runs in
the breed o' ye. Ay, well, we were in bed, Bell and me, when the Laird
o' Nourn whistled low outside. 'The devil take ye, Kate,' Bell would
be crying, 'he'll be in,' for there was only divots in the window in
the bochan. 'He will that,' says I, and I saw the divots tumbling, and
in he came assourying wi' two o' us, and us feart when he gied his
great nicker o' a laugh, for fear he would be awakening the old folks,
or rouse the dogs, although they kent him well enough, a rake like
themselves."

"Was he no' the auld devil?" says Dan with a laugh; "two o' ye, and the
best-looking lassies in the countryside."

"He wasna aul'," cried Kate--"aul'; he was as like you as two trout.
He got us two suits o' sailors' claes and he cam' tae see us dressed in
them, and bonny sailors we made, Bell and me, and we went to the Glen
and called on our uncles. It was dark inside, and they were sitting
ower the fire talking slow and loud, and we went in.

"'What will you be wantin' here in God's name?' said Angus.

"'We've nae money and nae meat,' said I, 'and our ship has sailed
without us, and we're starving.'

"'Starving, John, starving, will ye be hearin' the poor sailor lads.
We have not got any money, John, to be giving, but gie the lads an egg
apiece, John, an egg apiece; and John brought us an egg, and then Bell
winked at me, and 'Ye hard old scart,' says I in the Gaelic, and he got
up on his feet, for he would be knowing my voice, and he could not be
understanding it at all, and when we had finished our devilry I gave
him the egg what I was fit and ran, and Angus would be crying--

"'Give me the graip, John; give me the graip. Angus will kill boas
(both).'

"So an' on the night wore through; whiles we would be telling old
stories, and there would be times when