, the days after the rabbits and hares, and
the cosiness about a steading, with the beasts at their straw and
turnips, and the lassies to be coming home with, and the old stories
that will make the hair rise on a man's head. Och, these are the
nights to be enjoying.

I would whiles take a stick and the dogs and over the hill for it to
McKinnon's for a crack with Ronald and Mirren, and then we would go to
the Quay Inn and listen to the singing, or talk to McGilp--for McGilp
had left the sea and settled at McKelvie's, where he was very much
respected as a moneyed man, having sold the _Seagull_ to McNeilage, his
mate. He was much exercised by the morals of the place, and very
religious, except when in drink, which would be mostly every night.

On such a night, with Ronald and myself at the table and McGilp
opposite, the door opened, and in came Bryde and Hugh with a cold swirl
of sleet, and sat down beside us, and Robin McKelvie brought their
drink, and old McKelvie came ben to be doing the honours. We were
close by the fire, for McGilp liked to be hearing the sough of the wind
in the lum, and him snug and warm. On the other side of the fire was
Dol Beag, a man well over fifty, very silent, and I could not thole the
look of his crooked back. But there was with him one of his own
kidney, and he began to let his tongue wag.

"We had many's the ploy in the old days," says he, "and wild nights
too. It will chust be twenty years off an' on since I was swundged
behin' that fire like a sheep's heid--yes.

"I will haf forgotten what ploy that was--I was aalways fighting."

"Dol Beag, can ye no' be quate before dacent folk?" said Ronald.

"Ou ay, Ronald, I was chust thinking of the old ploys--I see you have
strangers with you."

Then he turned to Bryde--

"You will be a stronger man than your father, and he wass a fine man,
but you would kill a man too. Yes, but we will not be talking of
killing when it's the lassies you will be thinking about, and I'm
hearing the southern leddy is very chief with you," and he sniggered
and went out.

"God's blood," said Hugh in a white rage, "do you let any drunken rogue
blackguard a lady?"

"I am not to be touching that man," said Bryde, and his face was dark
red.

"Have I to live to see one of my name a coward--a bastard and a coward?"

"By the living God, you lie, Hugh McBride," said Bryde through his
teeth, and struck Hugh on the mouth with the back of his hand.

"That