The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

A Strange Revenge. 397
limmer at the Ha'. I dinna ken what's inside, nor dae I
care; but I say it's a doonricht shame. There?" And
suiting the action to the word, John banged the letter at his
feet, and. with arms akimbo, and an expression which would
have become the parish minister at a cutt}' stool sederunt,
stood towering over it.
" I'm forty-three }'ears auld yesterday— I rocked ye in
yer cradle (presumably the writer of the letter), an' I have
never ta'en a thocht o' but a'e wuman, and that's Kirsty the
cook at the Ha', an if she doesna hae me, I'll never think o'
anither. Man, tak' an example frae me in these important
maitters."
The mention of Kirsty had a strangely mollifying effect
upon John's perturbed mental condition. His features
relaxed, the faintest trace of a smile played upon his clean
shaven and rather capacious mouth, and he picked up the
letter with the solemn protest that " if nae guid come o't,,
the blame's no John Maxwell's."
As John entered the policies of the Hall he discovered
Miss Somerton flitting about among the 'flower plots,
engrossed with the construction of a daint}- table bouquet.
It would have taxed her bitterest enemy to find reasonable
fault with the lady either in form or feature. With colour
heightened by the crisp morning air, and her lithe form
attired in the prettiest of morning gowns, she seemed the
very ideal of female grace and charm—the latter enhanced
by the sweetest of smiles, as she caressed and touched up
with the delicacy of a floral enthusiast the coloured petals
she darted hither and thither to pluck. John popped
behind a tree and watched her with lowering brow and
critical eye. His verdict was reluctantly favourable.
" Gerties, but she's a guid lookin' limmer," he soliloquised^
" beats Miss Flora to sticks, ootwardly at anyrate ;
cannot be guid ;
ower bonny folk are never guid."
but
she
Having thus briefly dogmatised on the situation, John
proceeded to give his toilet a few final touches ; placed a
dash of heather in his bonnet, and pondered over the effect