about five shillings a-year, you are willing to throw away a hundred pound or two?" 'Na, sir, it's no for the value of the grass, replied Dinmont; "it's for justice." "My good friend," said Pleydell, "justice, like charity, should begin at home. Do you justice to your wife and family, and think no more about the matter.' Dinmont still lingered, twisting his hat in his hand. "It's no for that, sir, but I would like ill to be bragged wi' him,—he threeps he'll bring a score o' witnesses and mair; and I'm sure there 's as mony will swear for me as for him, folk that lived a' their days upon the Charlies-hope, and wadna like to see the land lose its right. "Zounds, man, if it be a point of honour," said the lawyer, "why don't your landlords take it up?" "I dinna ken, sir [scratching his head again]; there's been nae election-dusts lately, and the lairds are unco neighbourly, and Jock and me canna get them to yoke thegither about it a' that we can say. But if ye thought we might keep up the rent "No, no, that will never do," said Pleydell. Confound you, why don't you take good cudgels and settle it?" "Odd, sir," answered the farmer, "we tried that three times already,- that's twice on the land and ance at Lockerby fair. But I dinna ken, we 're baith gey good at single-stick, and it couldna weel be judged. Then take broadswords and be d-d to you, as your fathers did before you," said the counsel learned in the law. Aweel, sir, if ye think it wadna be again the law, it's a' ane to Dandie. "Hold, hold!" exclaimed Pleydell, we shall have another Lord Soulis' mistake (28). Pr'ythee, man, comprehend me; I wish you to consider how very trifling and foolish a lawsuit you wish to engage in. 66 Ay, sir?" said Dandie, in a disappointed tone. "So ye winna take on wi' me, I'm doubting?" Me? Not I,-go home, go home, take a pint and agree. Dandie looked but half contented, and still remained stationary. Anything more, my friend?" Only, sir, about the succession of this leddy that's dead, auld Miss Margaret Bertram o' Singleside." Ay, what about her?" said the counsellor, rather surprised. Ou, we have nae connection at a' wi' the Bertrams," said Dandie," they were grand folk by the like o' us. But Jean Liltup, that was auld Singleside's housekeeper and the mother of these twa young ladies that are gane,—the last o' them's dead at a ripe age, I trow, Jean Liltup came out o' Liddel water, and she was as near our connection as second cousin to my mother's half-sister. She drew up wi' Singleside, nae doubt, when she was his housekeeper, and it was a sair vex and grief to a' her kith and kin. But he acknowledged a marriage and satisfied the kirk; and now I wad ken frae you if we hae not some claim by law?" "Aweel, we 're nae puirer," said Dandie; "but she may hae thought on us if she was minded to |