Evening star., 1897-03-20

brae's attention with his elbow, and whis-
pered: The bailies fair roosed: we ill see
bis best stuff, but ma word the
keenness of the coming conflict was left
to be inferred
'1st another birch bed ye're after" and
the bailie wheeled round at the foot of the
stairs. ''Ie took a the profit on the laist
ane.
Ma. ma, bailie: yere over dear for me:
yon bed was clean extravaganza: but ye
see the Free Kirk fouk are giein bit
present TO their minister on his marriage
an the neeburs are subscribing five shiI-
hngs or the like O. that to -
HoW much have ye gathered?' inter-
rupted MacCallum.
Wee!, Burnbrae we MIGHT gae the
length o say five-and-twenty pund wi n
scrape. ye ken. bailie. an in the circum-
stances We're expectin' ye will be leeberal
What do you think O. a study chair an
table wi brass plate? / could maybe
manage that for the money in the circum-
stances"
The vera thing, but bide wee, bailie;
ye see inc minister hes his study furnished
an the fouk thocht ane or tWa bits a
things for drawing room ~
fe micht hae said that at aimee, tw;l
stair up, and the baile gave his hat a tilt
pack tlll II rested on the collar of his coat
There's naething wrang wit that a. can
see Burnbrae,' and Drumsheugh passed
his hands along the legs of a walnut table
as II ne were trying whether it had been
down: but what's yir figure? Twal pund
lor thlS slim m-legSed Shakin' affair? Bailie
ye're jokin'. Gin ye said ten pund. wi dis
coont for ready money, we micht begin tae
DEAL
"A ken that ye hae fixed price. an a
respect ye fort, and gin a wes a Muirtow.
merchant or ane o yir big farmers thai
didna ken what to dae WI his money We
would be right to take yir price, but a
hand1u puir country fouk -
Aye. were wantin' a chair or two an
II 1t wes possible. Drumtochty would be
disappointed no to hae armchair :.
thirty pund for the set? Burnbrae this is
clean havers an juist waistin time: we iii
new tae try Giesgie after "a as HiIlcocks
said but a dinna like passin' Muirtown;
e!ght-and-twenty is mair reasonable an
GIN ye make 1t seven. am no the man to
lose the armchair
iere richt Burnbrae"-who had never
spoken except TO admire so generously that
ms colleague had twice flung reproving
looks at him-"a couch, did ye ca it. Bal
ne! would be terrible affset, but it's
doonricht wicked mentioning it.
Were juist over simple bailie an am
saein beyond ma duty, but say 81
pund there's to be twa marriages
sune in the glen, an they ill need their
plenshn' it'll spread hoo We treatit
1t weel. all face 33 pounds
AS they were leaving. Drumsheugh was
struck, as If by accident, with a carpet
and returned twice to examine it with re-
gret.
'Ye II take that carpet to complete the
room? Money? l believe We have
every penny O. 30 pounds in your pocket.
Forty-three for the hale hypothic is
my last word" and the baile went down
stairs.
What say ye. Burnbrae? Are We wul-
I'm TO advance the money? That II he 10
Tor ready cash mercy on's. that's
rough language, an you Il magistrate !.
a coontit on a reduction ere a
hard man, bailie, but there's yir 4c notes
an We II gle back 10 shillings for a luck
penny.
Come moo. bailie. ye maun ma say that
aboot twa simple farmers; but am no
greedy. so lat the luck-penny stand"
Drumsheush considered that he had not
utterly failed as trustee of Drumtochtv's s
!iberality. and before leaving the shop he
invited the baiie to give him a cry the next
time the tradesmen's guild made an excur-
sion to Glen Urtache. This was how IT
came to pass that the wedding present of
the glen Included handsome timepiece
which Drumsheugh bought with the sur
plus In hand-a remaining ninepence was
expended on a bottle of furniture polish
and Bailie MacCallum, seeing Drumsheugh
pass one day next winter and having by
that time learned the exact amount of
Drumtochy's subscription, descended from
his table and went into his Office without
any audible word which could be printed