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THE BLACK DWARF.
63

and forward through amang the windows? that's my cousin, Grace Armstrong,—she's twice as clever about the house as my sisters, and sae they say themsels, for they're good-natured lasses as ever trod on heather; but they confess themsels, and sae does grannie, that she has far maist action, and is the best goer about the toun, now that grannie is off the foot hersel—My brothers, ane o' them's awa to wait upon the chamberlain, and ane's at Mossphadraig, that's our led farm—he can see after the stock as weel as I can do."

"You are lucky, my good friend, in having so many valuable relations."

"Troth am I—Grace make me thankful, I'se never deny it.—But will ye tell me now, Earnscliff, you that has been at college, and the high-school of Edinburgh, and got a' sort o' lair where it was to be best gotten—will you tell me—no that it's ony concern of mine in particular, but I heard the priest of St John's, and our minister, bargaining about it at the Winter