The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

A Strange Reve7ige. 399
kitchen lobby by turns, too " blate" either to speak his
mind or act upon his desire, but fully determined not to
vanish by the front door. Ultimately an idea crossed Miss
Somerton's mind, which broadened her smile, and made
John a greater curiosity than ever ;
for, now that she
recollected, there certainly had been forthcoming slight
evidences of a courting relationship between the cook at
the Hall and " the man" at the Castle.
" Perhaps you would like to see your friend Chirsty," she
ventured to suggest.
" That's just it, mem," blurred out John with such a con-
spicuous sigh of relief that his fair interrogator could not
resist laughing outright.
" Faith, she's bonnie," he muttered to himself as he
disappeared, " an' michty clever tae read a body's verry
thochts."
Chirsty M'Taggart was a comely-looking damsel, ten
years the junior of John, and possessing a physical development
that had led to her baptismal name being dropped for
the more descriptive, if objectionable, title of " the fat
cook." John was not devoid of imagination. He had often
pictured to himself the laugh that would spread over the
entire parish if he married the colossal Chirsty, and an
insufficiency of courage had tarried his wooing to such an
extent that the object of his hidden affection had long ago
come to the conclusion that John was never going to
" speak."
The day was young ; and
so John was not surprised to
find Chirsty busy among pots and pans, while an assistant
burnished the household cutlery in the kitchen proper.
"John Maxwell, you here at this time o' day, an' lookin'
what fu' spruce in yer
up wi' ye ?
best claithes tae ; "
in a' the world's
" I was on a beesness veesit tae the Ha', Kirsty, an' thocht
I wud jist look in tae see hoo ye are."
" I'm brawley ;
but it's no fair tae stap in wi' yer best on
an' catch a body in the middle o' scrapin' pats an' pans
I'm a sair sicht wi' dirt."