A miserable hut gave him an opportunity to execute his purpose. He
found out the door with no small difficulty, and for some time
knocked without producing any other answer than a duet between a
female and a cur-dog, the latter yelping as if he would have
barked his heart out, the other screaming in chorus. By degrees
the human tones predominated; but the angry bark of the cur being
at the instant changed into a howl, it is probable something more
than fair strength of lungs had contributed to the ascendency.

'Sorrow be in your thrapple then!' these were the first articulate
words, 'will ye no let me hear what the man wants, wi' your
yaffing?'

'Am I far from Kippletringan, good dame?'

'Frae Kippletringan!!!' in an exalted tone of wonder, which we can
but faintly express by three points of admiration. 'Ow, man! ye
should hae hadden eassel to Kippletringan; ye maun gae back as far
as the whaap, and baud the whaap till ye come to Ballenloan, and
then--'

'This will never do, good dame! my horse is almost quite knocked
up; can you not give me a night's lodgings?'

'Troth can I no; I am a lone woman, for James he's awa to
Drumshourloch Fair with the year-aulds, and I daurna for my life
open the door to ony o' your gang-there-out sort o' bodies.'

'But what must I do then, good dame? for I can't sleep here upon
the road all night.'