The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

A Sfj'ange Revenue. 403
eclipsed the other in resonance, and wheeled round to her
pots and pans, without observing that she printed some-
thing else on John's sonsy face, to wit, five distinct finger
marks on each cheek. Wholly unconscious of what had
happened, John emerged into the kitchen. At the sight
of him Nell went into convulsions. Misapprehending the
cause of her mirth, John gave Nell a withering look of contempt
and disappeared outside, the happiest man in the
whole parish, and not the least honest.
As John walked along, cherishing the memory of
Chirsty's "Imphum" and his first kiss, he straightened
himself up, and began to feel that his importance in the
world was increased thereby. Then he began to wonder
whether Chirsty had really entertained doubts as to his
being too old for a husband ;
at which point he reached a
dyke he remembered often to have jumped in his young
days. In the buoyancy of his spirits, he wondered whether
he could still perform the feat. He felt as if he walked
upon air, and that he could jump to the moon. In a trice
he had cleared the wall with two hands ;
and again succeeded ; and
he tried with one
was soon so much absorbed in
and pleased with this proof of his latent agility that he
became oblivious to his surroundings, and panted and
whooped as he cleared and recleared the dyke with boyish
glee. At the last leap he landed at the feet of the laird,
who had been regarding John's behavour and blackened
face first with amazement, and then with grave appre-
hension. John picked up his bonnet and stood grinning at
the laird, breathless.
" Clean daft," pronounced the laird.
^' Yes, sir," replied John.
[to be eONTINLED],