ther the one or the other, Ailie, for I have some reasons for the present to conceal my being alive from every one but you; and, as for the lairdship of Milnwood, it is in as good hands."
"As good hands, hinny!" re-echoed Ailie; "I'm hopefu' ye are no meaning mine? The rents and the lands are but a sair fash to me. And I'm ower failed to tak a help-mate, though Wylie Mactrickit the writer was very pressing and spak very civilly; but I'm ower auld a cat to draw that strae before me. He canna whillywha me as he's dune mony a ane. And then I thought aye ye wad come back, and I wad get my pickle meal and my soup milk, and keep a' things right about ye as I used to do in your puir uncle's time, and it wad be just pleasure aneugh for me to see ye thrive and guide the gear canny—Ye'll hae learned that in Holland, I'se warrant, for they're thrifty folk there, as I hear tell—But ye'll be for keeping rather a mair house than puir auld Miln-
