The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

478
The Highland Monthly.
" Na, na, the room is full of them on whom we have
always depended, and we expect more by night fa'. Ye
maun tak' the best we can offer."
Leaving Tevict still standing on the floor, she left
the room, and shortly afterwards returned, carrying
an ignited peat in one hand, and, in the other, the
creel of peats which the girl had no doubt just
taken into the house. To kindle a fire was no easy
work ; for the fire-place was filled with a heap of damp
-ashes, and the fuel was dripping with water. When
Gillespie arrived, he assisted the efforts of the dame, and
went for some fir roots which he had seen stacked in an
outhouse. The old tacksman, meantime, had ordered two
glasses of brandy or rum ; but instead, a measure containing
the poorest quality of whisky was laid on the table. How-
ever, they drank this, and began to dry their clothes before
the flame which they had at length succeeded in kindling.
The state of the weather outside went far to reconcile
them even with such wretched accommodation as they had
secured. It was by this time quite dark, and a violent
snow storm had set in. Having ordered food, the landlady
appeared after a while, carrying two bowls with some oat-
meal in each. Setting these on the table along with a dish
•of salt, she went away, and came back carrying a small pot
of boiling water, which she set down by the fire and again
departed, allowing her guests the choice either of making
porridge for themselves, by shaking the contents of the
bowls into the pot, or brose, by pouring boiling water over
the meal in their respective bowls. After they had
.finished their repast the fire blazed brightly, and they were
well pleased to sit in front of it drying their clothes. After
some time the storm gradually moderated its fury, and,
during the lull, they heard at least two other guests arrive.
While Mark Teviot and Macewen sat in their room in this
way, occasionally engaged in conversation, they all at once
observed light flashed upon a window that looked towards
the back of the house. Gillespie peered out, and saw that