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ever they were given. Not so with Tibby Hyslop. There had such a heavy charge lain upon her the greater part of her life, that she had never turned her thoughts to any earthly thing beside, and she knew no more what the cooper was aiming at, than if the words had not been spoken. When he went away, her grandmother called her to the bed-side, and asked if the cooper was gone away. Tibby answered in the affirmative; on which granny said, "What has he been havering about sae lang the day? I thought I heard him courting ye.”

"Courting me! Dear granny, he was courting nane o' me; he was telling me how Mr Forret had won as muckle siller as sax men can carry on their backs, and how we are a' to get a part of it."

“Dinna believe him, hinny; the man that can win siller at the law, will lose it naewhere. But Tibby, I heard the cooper courting you, and I thought I heard you gie him your consent to manage the matter as he likit. Now you hae been a great blessing to me. I thought you were sent to me in wrath, as a punishment of my sins, but I have found that you were indeed sent