’Oh, I can cure ye o’ that complaint,’ she said confidently; and she rang the bell. Instantly the door was opened, and he caught a glimpse of a vast palatial-looking place, with more stained wood and plate glass and velvet, and with several smartly-dressed young ladies standing or moving behind the long mahogany counters; moreover, one of these—a tall and serious-eyed maiden—now stood at the partly opened door. ’Gin and bitters, Mary,’ said Mrs. Menzies briskly—she was at this moment standing in front of one of the mirrors, complacently smoothing her hair with her hands, and setting to rights her mannish little necktie. The serious-eyed handmaiden presently reappeared, bringing a small salver, on which was a glass filled with some kind of a fluid, which she presented to him. ’What’s this?’ said he, appealing to his hostess. ’Drink it and find out,’ said she; ’it’ll make ye jump wi’ hunger, as the Hielanman said.’ He did as he was bid; and loudly she laughed at the wry face that he made. ’What’s the matter?’ ’It’s a devil of a kind of thing, that,’ said he; for it was a first experience. ’Ay, but wait till ye find how hungry it will make ye,’ she answered; and then she returned from the mirror. ’And I’m sure ye’ll no mind my hair being a wee thing camstrairy, Ronald; there’s no need for ceremony between auld freens, as the saying is——’ ’But, look here, Katie, my lass,’ said he—for perhaps he was a little emboldened by that fiery fluid, ’I’m thinking that maybe I’m making myself just a little too much at home. Now, some other time, when ye’ve no company, I’ll come in and see ye——’ But she cut him short at once, and with some pride. ’Indeed, I’ll tell ye this, that the day that Ronald Strang comes into my house—and into my own house too—that’s no the day that he’s gaun out o’t without eating and drinking. Ma certes, no! And as for company, why there’s none but auld mother Paterson—I ca’ her auntie; but she’s no more my auntie than you are—ye see, my man, Ronald, a poor, unprotected helpless widow woman maun look after appearances—for the world’s unco given to leein’, as Shakespeare says. There, Ronald, that’s another thing,’ she added suddenly—’ye’ll take me to the theatre!—my word, we’ll have a box!’ But these gay visions were interrupted by the reappearance of Mrs. Paterson, who was followed by a maidservant bearing a dish on which was a large sole, smoking hot. Indeed, it soon became apparent that this was to be a very elaborate banquet, such as Ronald was not at all familiar with; and all the care and flattering attention his hostess could pay him she paid him, laughing and joking with him, and insisting on his having the very best of everything, and eager to hand things to him—even if she rather ostentatiously displayed her abundant rings in doing so. And when mother Paterson said— ’What will ye drink, Katie dear? Some ale—or some porter?’ The other stormily answered—