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and even the exact remuneration he could be urged to give to such as were pleased to remember aright. Indeed it was believed that the most part of the hinds and labouring people remembered nothing of the matter farther than he was pleased to inform them, and that in fact they gave evidence to the best of their knowledge or remembrance, although that evidence might be decidedly wrong.
One day Gibby took his gun, and went out towards Knowe-back. The cooper also guessing what was in his head, went thither by a circuitous rout, so as to come in as it were by chance; but ere he arrived, Mr Forret had begun his queries and instructions to Tibby.—The two could not agree by any means; Tibby either could not recollect the yearly crops on each field on the farm of Drumlochie, or recollected wrong— But at length; in comes the cooper, when the calculations were at the keenest, and at every turn he took Mr Forret's side with the most strenuous asseverations, abusing Tubby for her stupidity and want of recollection.
"Hear me speak, Johnie Jardine, afore ye condem me aff-loof: Mr Forr e says
