likes to gang hame wi' me, that is. Ye see, Ailie and me we're
weel to pass, and we would like the lassies to hae a wee bit mair
lair than oursells, and to be neighbour-like, that wad we. And ye
see Jenny canna miss but to ken manners, and the like o' reading
books, and sewing seams, having lived sae lang wi' a grand lady
like Lady Singleside; or, if she disna ken ony thing about it, I'm
jealous that our bairns will like her a' the better. And I'll take
care o' the bits o' claes, and what spending siller she maun hae,
so the hundred pound may rin on in your hands, Mr. Protocol, and
I'll be adding something till't, till she'll maybe get a
Liddesdale joe that wants something to help to buy the hirsel.
What d'ye say to that, hinny? I'll take out a ticket for ye in the
fly to Jethart; od, but ye maun take a powny after that o'er the
Limestane Rig, deil a wheeled carriage ever gaed into Liddesdale.
[Footnote: See Note I.] And I'll be very glad if Mrs. Rebecca
comes wi' you, hinny, and stays a month or twa while ye're
stranger like.'

While Mrs. Rebecca was curtsying, and endeavouring to make the
poor orphan girl curtsy instead of crying, and while Dandie, in
his rough way, was encouraging them both, old Pleydell had
recourse to his snuff-box. 'It's meat and drink to me now,
Colonel,' he said, as he recovered himself, 'to see a clown like
this. I must gratify him in his own way, must assist him to ruin
himself; there's no help for it. Here, you Liddesdale--Dandie--
Charlie's Hope--what do they call you?'

The farmer turned, infinitely gratified even by this sort of
notice; for in his heart, next to his own landlord, he honoured a
lawyer in high practice.