Dootless Donald has his faults; but I may weel wink at his small faults, when I hae sae mony great faults o' my ain." And David's personal accusation sounded so much like a reproof, that James did not feel it safe to pursue the subject.
That very night David wrote thus to his nephew: "Donald, my dear lad, if thou owest James Blackie L20, pay it immediate.

Lying is the second vice, owing money is the first.

I enclose draft for L70 instead o' L50, as per request." That L70 was a large sum in the eyes of the careful Glasgow trader; in the young Highlander's eyes it seemed but a small sum.

He could not form any conception of the amount of love it represented, nor of the struggle it had cost David to "gie awa for nae consideration" the savings of many days, perhaps weeks, of toil and thought.
In September Christine came back, and towards the end of October, Donald.

He was greatly improved externally by his trip and his associations--more manly and more handsome--while his manners had acquired a slight touch of hauteur that both amused and pleased his uncle.