Meg.

'Let her come. Duv ye think I'm fleyt at her? De'il a step 'll I gang
till I please. Tell her that, Meg.'

Meg left the room, with a broad grin on her good-humoured face.

'What's the bitch lauchin' at?' exclaimed MacGregor, starting to his
feet.

The whole company rose likewise, using their endeavour to persuade him
to go home.

'Duv ye think I'm drunk, sirs? I'll lat ye ken I'm no drunk. I hae a
wull o' mine ain yet. Am I to gang hame wi' a lassie to haud me oot o'
the gutters? Gin ye daur to alloo that I'm drunk, ye ken hoo ye'll fare,
for de'il a fit 'll I gang oot o' this till I hae anither tum'ler.'

'I'm thinkin' there's mair o' 's jist want ane mair,' said Peddie.

A confirmatory murmur arose as each looked into the bottom of his
tumbler, and the bell was instantly rung. But it only brought Meg back
with the message that it was time for them all to go home. Every eye
turned upon MacGregor reproachfully.

'Ye needna luik at me that gait, sirs. I'm no fou,' said he.

''Deed no. Naebody taks ye to be,' answered the chairman. 'Meggie,
there's naebody's had ower muckle yet, and twa or three o' 's hasna had
freely eneuch. Jist gang an' fess a mutchkin mair. An' there'll be a
shillin' to yersel', lass.'

Meg retired, but straightway returned.

'Miss Naper says there's no a drap mair drink to be had i' this hoose
the nicht.'

'Here, Meggie,' said the chairman, 'there's yer shillin'; and ye jist
gang to Miss Lettie, and gie her my compliments, and say that Mr.
Lammie's here, and we haena seen him for a lang time. And'--the rest was
spoken in a whisper--'I'll sweir to ye, Meggie, the weyver body sanna
hae ae drap o' 't.'

Meg withdrew once more, and returned.

'Miss Letty's compliments, sir, and Miss Naper has the keys, and she's
gane till her bed, and we maunna disturb her. And it's time 'at a'
honest fowk was in their beds tu. And gin Mr. Lammie wants a bed i' this
hoose, he maun gang till 't. An' here's his can'le. Gude nicht to ye a',
gentlemen.'

So saying, Meg set the lighted candle on the sideboard, and finally
vanished. The good-tempered, who formed the greater part of the company,
smiled to each other, and emptied the last drops of their toddy first
into their glasses, and thence into their mouths. The ill-tempered,
numbering but one more than MacGregor, growled and swore a little, the
weaver declaring that he would not go home. But the rest walked out and
left him, and at last, appall