PURDIE'S EMBARRASSMENT. 263 



mindefc it nae mair ; but our wife war in a terrible bad 

 key the morning, because I war sair wanted last nicht.' 



" ' Well,' said the maister, ' ye maun never do the like 

 again, Tom.' We then gaed to the woods, and thinned 

 the trees ; and I laboured with the axe at thae that 

 Sir Walter marked. 



" ' Now Tom,' says he, ' you will go home with me, 

 for you have been working very hard, and a glass of 

 whisky will do you good ; ' and he ca'ed to Nicholson 

 to bring Tom a glass of Glenlivet. I tuk it doun ; and, 

 man, if ye'd found it, it beat a' the whisky I ever tasted 

 in my life. ' Well, Tom,' said Sir Walter, ' how do ye 

 feel after it ? Do ye think another glass will do ye 

 ony harm ? ' I said naething, but I thocht I wad like 

 anither, and Nicholson poured out ane, and I tuk it. 

 Then the maister said, ' Tom, do you feel ony thing the 

 war o' it?' 'Na', na',' said I, 'but it's terrible powerfu,' 

 and three times as strong as ony whisky I ever drank 

 in my life.' ' Then, Tom,' says Sir Walter, ' never tell 

 me that three glasses o' Susy's whisky will fill ye fon, 

 when ye have drank twa of mine, which you say is 

 three times as strong, and you feel all the better for 

 it.' Hey, man, I never was so ta'en by the face in a' 

 my life ! I didna ken where to luk. The deil fa' me 

 if ever he cotch me so again ! " 



Tom Purdie's forbearance, however, was not of an 

 enduring quality ; his eyes glistened as he followed the 

 course of the bottle ; three times was his arm extended 

 to make a grip at it, and thrice did he draw it back 

 with modest confusion. At length when all were served 

 he could hold out no longer, but elongating his dexter, 



