"Fairly and soothly, Birkenbog," said I, "peace is best among near friends--not to speak of kinsfolk!" "Aye," said he, "fairly and soothly be it! But I have to ken first that it is fairly and soothly. Who is the man?" "I do not know for certain," I said, "but I have every reason to believe that your daughter is at this moment Mistress Thomas Gallaberry of Ewebuchts, on the Water of Ae!" "Oh, the limmer," he cried, and started up as if to fly at me again. His face was indeed a study. First there appeared the usual hot wrath, overlapping in ruddy fold on fold, and revealing the owner's full-fed intent to punish. This gradually gave way to a look of humorous appreciation, and then all of a sudden, he slapped his thigh in an agony of joyous appreciation. "Oh, the limmer," he cried, "only a week since my kinsman Tam Gallaberry asks me brave and canny for the lend of five hundred to stock his Back Hill. He offered decent enough security, and as usual I took Charlotte's opinion on the business. For it's her that has the great head for the siller. Oh yes, she has that. And as soon as they gat the tocher, he's off wi' the lassie. Certes, but he is the cool hand." "If you allow me to judge, I should say the cool hand was Charlotte!" I ventured. "Right, man," he cried, "little do I doubt it! Tam Gallaberry has led a grey mare to his stable that will prove the better horse, and that he will ken before he is a fortnight older." Then he turned upon me, short and sharp. "You have kenned this some while, I'm jaloosin'?" "Yes," said I, for I felt that he might have me awkwardly trapped if he went on, "that is one of the reasons why I did not come home. I knew that Charlotte had made up her mind never to marry me----" "And ye took it like that?" he cried; "man, ye havena muckle spunk!" "It was not generally so thought at the time of the assault on the great house of Marnhoul," I answered; "and indeed I remember one old gentleman about your figure, with a white crape over his nose, that shook me by the hand and took my name down in his book----" "_Wheesht--wheesht_," he said, looking about uneasily, "siccan things are better never minted so close to the Parliament House where bide the Red Fifteen!" "Well," said I, "that's as may be, but I cannot have it said by you or any man that I lack spunk!" "Oh," said he, "though I never was troubled that gate mysel'--there's mony a bold man has turned hen-hearted when it came to a question of the lasses. There's Freddy here, one wad never think it of him, but there has he gotten yon lass that nearly did for me with her twa-pronged fork. She's a smart hizzy, and will make a lively wife to some man. But I maun e'en be riding back to put a question or so to the man that has stown awa' my bit ewe-lamb and put her in fold by the Water of Ae."