tofts, where a large party were invited to "drink sowens," which old and time-honoured custom was kept up with much regularity at the farm.

Neither his brother nor sister-in-law thought him looking particularly well; but he complained of nothing, and by the time the party had assembled he was in high spirits; and met Maggie Maitland, who was of course one of the principal guests, with much apparent pleasure.

A dance was the winding up of the evening's entertainment, in which all the young people joined with right good will. Of course, as the engagement was not yet public, it would not have been agreeable to either party that Edmund should devote himself too exclusively to Miss Maitland; and this might perhaps account for the somewhat uncertain mood which he showed towards her: after paying her great attention during the early part of the evening, he seemed later to have flown off at a tangent, and danced so often with the pretty little daughter of the Fordeveran stationmaster, that she had nearly lost her heart to him before the evening was over.

Maggie would have been better pleased now if their engagement had been declared. She was considered, with her tocher and her accomplishments, the most eligible lass in the district; and had many admirers, and not a little persecution. Young Tillyfaa was one of her most ardent devotees; but he was as yet too bashful to declare himself, so that Maggie was obliged to suffer his attentions in silence; though for a lively and generally courted girl, she was remarkably free from flirtation.

She was very happy just now: very proud and fond of her accepted lover. Perhaps her affection for him was not of the deepest kind; but it was very true and honest and faithful, and she had unbounded satisfaction and pride in him, and admired him with all her heart. She was certainly looking her best and brightest; and none of the neighbours wondered that "Fernies' brother, the commaircial lad," should be "uncommon sweet upo' their ain minister's sister"-as had been known for some time to be the case.

Edmund was to stay at Fernytofts to be present at a ploughing match, which was to come off at Tillyfaa early in January, weather permitting: the competitors to be all

farmers. It was to be on a large scale, thirty ploughs competing; and it was generally understood that on this occasion also the proceedings would terminate with a dance.

The day was propitious, and its issue was especially interesting to the Fernytofts party. For blue Pollie and Magnet (the latter now quite cured of his strain) stepping grandly together, their comely proportions set off to great advantage by their well-appointed harness, their manes and tails profusely decorated with coloured streamers-guided by a no less skilful hand than that of their master "his ain sel'"-carried off the first prize. Amid the general applause of the spectators, be it added; for no one would have thought of grudging the honours of the day to "muckle Jemmie Allardyce," who was an universal favourite.

Old Tillyfaa and his wife and son were most hospitable, and unwearied in their attention to their guests. And by the evening a merry assemblage of young people had gathered for dancing in a large barn, specially cleared, decked, and lighted for the occasion.

Young Tillyfaa, otherwise known as Geordie Wilson, devoted himself particularly to Miss Maitland, engaging her hand for the first dance, before Edmund had had an opportunity of asking her. He was obliged to engage her for the next, and to console himself by taking out his little partner of the former occasion; who was in the seventh heaven of wonder and delight at being asked for the very first dance of the evening by Fernytofts' handsome brother.

He did not dance with her again till well on in the evening, however. After which dance he was engaged to Miss Maitland for a quadrille, but had taken little Miss "Fordeveran" to have some refreshment; and the sets were forming, as Maggie, rather anxiously looking for him, found young Wilson at her elbow.

"Now, Miss Maitland, ye'll allow me-"

"Oh dear me, Mr. Wilson, I'm engaged."

"So was I, I'm thinking, but my partner's nae here, and the set's making-I couldn't find her any wye eynow."

Maggie cast one more glance round her; but, just as the music began, Edmund hastened up, looking flushed and

annoyed, to claim her. Geordie Wilson seemed disinclined to give way; and it might have been awkward, had not Maggie with ready tact and goodhumour said, "Oh, I told you I was engaged, Mr. Wilson, and here is my partner." And as she turned to greet Edmund, young Tillyfaa withdrew, not without looking a good deal disappointed. "Just in time, Mr. Allardyce," said Maggie, as they began the figure.

"Eh, ay. I beg your pardon. I couldn't get clear of that little goose Jeanie Raitt-hanged if I'll ask her again !"

"Poor little Jeanie! How pretty she is, isn't she?" "She's bonnie eyes. I dinna care for her style."

"Such a lovely colour she has," Maggie said. "How she blushed when you took her out first! You mustn't flirt with her, Mr. Allardyce."

"What?" said Edmund with a sudden dark flash of his eyes. The figure separated them for a moment, but as he returned and took his place beside her, he said in a low tone that she scarcely understood, "I'm nae in the custom of flirting. I would just like any man to accuse me of it—ay would I."

He did not speak again till the dance was over. And then he offered her his arm, with a quiet but imperious "Come. Come this wye," and led her to the entrance of their improvised ball-room, at the back of the crowd, when he began, to her astonishment, in a low tone of suppressed displeasure,

"Now, what about this flirting, as ye call it ?"

She looked up at him, too much surprised to speak. "Because-if that's what I'm accused of-we're best to be off wi' a' this-"

"Edmund! What-what is it?" cried poor Maggie, clasping her hands round his arm in terror and dismay.

"I'm quite ready-quite prepared for it," he said, in the same cold hard tone. "Only I'll not be accused o' the thing I dinna do."

"I'm sure I never accused you-or any one."

"Much the same. Ye appear to think I pay attentions to Miss Raitt. Of course, if that's so, I can't be desairvin' of your regard."

"Indeed, indeed, Mr. Allardyce, I never meant anything of the kind-it was the merest joking."

I ken something about jokes o' the kind. They dinna lead to ony good."

"But I'll never say it again," pleaded poor innocent Maggie. "And I won't dance with any one else myself but you, if you like-only I thought, as you did not wish. our engagement made public yet, it wouldn't have done-" "No, of course not. I'm nae onreasonable—I'm nae suspeecious-I never was. But I've seen it do a deal of harm; and if you've any doubts of me, Miss Maitland, as I said, we'll let a'thing be as it hadna been, for I winna have to do wi' them that doubts me."

"Indeed I never doubted you, Edmund, I never dreamt of such a thing. Oh, do forget this, and let's be happy! Come back-we'll have people looking at us."

"Oh, well, come along then," he said; but he took her first round by the refreshment table, and having satisfied her modest requirements, she was a little surprised—having heard a good deal, at times, of the Fernies' abstemiousness-to see him ask for a glass of spirits, and toss it off neat. Then they went back, just in time for the reel of Tulloch, falling into the ranks opposite to Fernytofts himself, with Jeanie Raitt for his partner. Maggie was passionately fond of reel dancing; and had almost forgotten her troubles for the time when she found herself tripping away, with old Fernies opposite footing it as featly as if he had not been plodding up and down the "fur's" all day at Pollie's tail; and little Jeanie in a state of unclouded brightness, what with such a goodnatured partner, and the chance of watching the consummate steps of bonnie Mr. Edmund just opposite. The reel of Tulloch had brought back Mr. Edmund's goodhumour apparently, and for that night there were no more disagreeables-only a very merry parting at last, as Edmund was very busy wrapping up Miss Maitland in cloak, and "cloud," and hood-the various hooks or buttons apparently taking a good deal of fastening.

It was good-bye for some time, as Edmund returned to town next day but he was wonderfully light-hearted under the circumstances, and would have stayed up, amus

ing Mary (whose "little ene" precluded her going out to evening entertainments) with an account of all the gay doings, if his brother had not insisted on his walking off to bed.

66

"He's ower raised kind to-night," he said to his wife; he'll pay for't the morn."

Fernies was right. Next morning saw Edmund pale, heavy-eyed, and dejected-looking: unable to take any breakfast, and complaining of his head. Fernies was to drive him to meet the midday train at Fordeveran; and was not at all pleased because, after obstinately refusing to take any lunch before starting, Edmund called him aside to ask for "a glass o' something-I dinna care what-just to carry me on."

He did not refuse it him this time, but resolved to take him to task; so as they jogged along the road together he began, without any preface, "So, I see ye dinna keep to the Fernies a'ld rule ony langer!"

Edmund shrugged his shoulders deprecatingly. tor's orders-what can I do?"

"Doc

"Ye dinna consider yersel' under doctor's orders eynow, surely, Eydie?"

"Nae awa' fro' them. It's not long since I spoke to Muir. He says I want a lot of support-I'm nae able for my meat, and I must tak' something," said Edmund, rather aggrieved.

"Ye was fine and able for yer meat fan ye was here last," said Fernies.

"That's not now. Ony wye I feel mysel' better o' a dram, at a time, Jemmie-that's the lang and the short o't. And for the rule, as you say, now that I'm awa' fra all that bargaining and treating, it disna signifee. I'm nae a traveller any longer, thank goodness!"

"Ye be to tak' care o' yersel', ony wye, Eydie," said the farmer, with a sort of fatherly tenderness in his tone. "Ye're nae lookin' yersel'-far from it. It'll be a richt gweed thing fan ye've some other body to tak' care o' ye, eh ?"

66 Fan my neck's in the noose ?"

"Ye'll be thinkin' long, I doubt? Hae ye gotten her till name ony day?"