think I swing a kilt better myself), you are the proper age
(though it's wonderful what a youngish-looking man of not much over
forty may do), you have a name for sobriety, and Elrigmore carries a
good many head of cattle and commands a hundred swords,--would a girl
with any wisdom and no other sweetheart in her mind turn her back on
such a list of virtues and graces? If I had your reputation and your
estate, I could have the pick of the finest women in Argile--ay, and far
beyond it."

"Never mind about that just now," I demanded, gripping my preacher by
the hand and forcing him with me out of the way of the passers-by, whose
glance upon us would have seemed an indelicacy when we were discussing
so precious a thing as my lady's honour.

"But I shall mind it," insisted M'Iver, pursing his lips as much to
check a hiccough as to express his determination. "It seems I am the
only man dare take the liberty. Fie on ye! man, fie! you have not once
gone to see the Provost or his daughter since I saw you last I dare not
go myself for the sake of a very stupid blunder; but I met the old man
coming up the way an hour ago, and he was asking what ailed you at them.
Will I tell you something, Colin? The Provost's a gleg man, but he's not
so gleg as his wife. The dame for me! say I, in every household, if it's
her daughter's love-affairs she's to keep an eye on."

"You know so much of the lady and her people," said I, almost losing
patience, "that it's a wonder you never sought her for yourself."

He laughed. "Do you think so?" he said. "I have no doubt of the result;
at least I would have had no doubt of it a week or two ago, if I had
taken advantage of my chances." Then he laughed anew. "I said the
good-wife was gleg; I'm just as gleg myself."

This tipsy nonsense began to annoy me; but it was useless to try to
check it, for every sentence uttered seemed a spark to his vanity.

"It's about Betty I want to speak," I said.

"And it's very likely too; I would not need to be very gleg to see that
She does not want to speak to me, however, or of me, as you'll find out
when once you see her. I am in her black books sure enough, for I saw
her turn on the street not an hour ago to avoid me."

"She'll not do that to MacLachlan," I put in, glad of the opening,
"unless she hears--and God forbid it--that the scamp lightlies her name
at common fairs."

M'Iver drew himself up, stopped, and seemed to sober.

"What's this you're telling