With slow labour he rose from his knees at last, and sinking into his chair, drew Annie towards him, and kissed her.

Then he said, "Will ye gang a bit eeran' for me, Annie ?" "That I will, Thomas.

I wad rin mysel' aff o' my legs for ye." "Na, na.

I dinna want sae muckle rinnin' the nicht.

But I wad be sair obleeged to ye gin ye wad jist rin doon to Jeames Johnstone, the weyver, and tell him, wi' my coampliments, ye ken, that I'm verra sorry I spak' till him as I did the nicht; and I wad tak it richt kin' o' him gin he wad come and tak a cup o' tay wi' me the morn's nicht, and we cud hae a crack thegither, and syne we cud hae worship thegither.