The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

42 2 The Highland Monthly.
Happy we've been a thegither ;
Happy we've been ane an' a';
But happier still we'll be thegither,
Ere we'll rise and gae awa'."
And with that Finlay Don quickly disappeared within
his diminutive and tatterdemalion pavilion, from whence his
stentorian tones were heard, to the admiration of the
-audience, after the feebler efforts of his son.
When Mark Teviot and Macewen took possession of
their ponies, the afternoon was spent, and another chill and
joggy twilight set in. Flakes of snow were carried hither
and thither by the bleak east wind. Now, if Finlay kept an
eye upon the movements of his two friends, he would, have
been somewhat exercised to observe them mount and ride
rapidly in the direction of Forthburgh, the provincial town
that lay some eight or ten miles to the south-east, in place
of returning to the inn where they had spent the previous
night, and which was on the direct route to the Highlands.
An hour and a half later, Mark Teviot might have been
seen knocking at the door of the bank-agent in the town
to which I have referred. The banker, after some parley,
opened his office to accommodate a customer, and the
tacksman lodged nearly all his money here, taking with
him, in his red pocket-pook, only sufficient to pay his
Martinmas rent and the servants' wages then due. The
night was dark and boisterous, and Teviot decided to stay
in a neighbouring hotel till morning ; but this the hospitable
banker would by no means suffer him to do. Mr
Winram's father had been baron-bailie of Duncairn, and as
he himself had been born and brought up there, it may
readily be supposed that it was not till more than one
tumbler of punch had been discussed, that the banker
showed Glenbeltane to his room, and bade him good
night.
The cold and stormy weather showing no signs of
abatement on the following morning, it was towards noon
before Teviot and his companion set out for the north.
Besides, the old tacksman must have been considerably