[Illustration: A' DOOT YIR GAEIN' TAE LOSE HER, TAMMAS."]

"It's a sair business, but ye 'ill play the man and no vex Annie;
she 'ill dae her best, a'll warrant."

"An' a'll dae mine," and Tammas gave MacLure's hand a grip that would
have crushed the bones of a weakling. Drumtochty felt in such moments
the brotherliness of this rough-looking man, and loved him.

Tammas hid his face in Jess's mane, who looked round with sorrow in her
beautiful eyes, for she had seen many tragedies, and in this silent
sympathy the stricken man drank his cup, drop by drop.

"A' wesna prepared for this, for a' aye thocht she wud live the
langest.... She's younger than me by ten years, and never wes ill....
We've been mairit twal year laist Martinmas, but it's juist like a year
the day... A' wes never worthy o' her, the bonniest, snoddest (neatest),
kindliest lass in the Glen.... A' never cud mak oot hoo she ever lookit
at me, 'at hesna hed ae word tae say aboot her till it's ower late....
She didna cuist up tae me that a' wesna worthy o' her, no her, but aye
she said, 'Yir ma ain gudeman, and nane cud be kinder tae me.' ... An'
a' wes minded tae be kind, but a' see noo mony little trokes a' micht
hae dune for her, and noo the time is bye.... Naebody kens hoo patient
she wes wi' me, and aye made the best o 'me, an' never pit me tae shame
afore the fouk.... An' we never hed ae cross word, no ane in twal
year.... We were mair nor man and wife, we were sweethearts a' the
time.... Oh, ma bonnie lass, what 'ill the bairnies an' me dae withoot
ye, Annie?"

[Illustration: "THE BONNIEST, SNODDEST, KINDLIEST LASS IN THE GLEN" ]