The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

Willie Gillies. 141
turned the conversation again to his farming. Later in the
evening he asked abruptly how long the lad Gillies v/as to
stay with me. I replied, for six months at least, perhaps
longer. He said nothing more on the subject until I was
bidding him farewell, when he mentioned that he was to
pass near me at the harvest tryst and that perhaps he
would call on me. I said I would be most glad to see him,
and so we parted.
This fishing for an invitation, and the question he put
respecting Willie's stay with me, caused me to discard my
former guess and entertain a new hope, but I allowed
things to take their natural course, though, for reasons
obvious to the reader, I was desirous of knowing the
maiden name of Mrs Gillies, and the family history of my
late entertainer.