me?' Often and often, baith by day and by night, did I think
o' the good bargains I had lost, for the sake o' my fause James Laidlaw;
and often, when I saw some o' them that had come praying to me, pass me
on a Sunday, having their wives wi' their hands half round their waist
on the horse behint them--'O James! fause James!' I have said, 'but for
trusting to you, and it would hae been me that would this day been
riding behint Mr. ----.'

But I had still five hundred pounds, and sic fend as I could make, to
help what they brought to me. And, about this time, there was one that
had the character of being a very respectable sort o' a lad, one Walter
Sanderson; he was a farmer, very near about my own age, and altogether a
most prepossessing and intelligent young man. I first met wi' him at my
youngest sister's goodman's kirn,[F] and I must say, a better or a more
gracefu' dancer I never saw upon a floor. He had neither the jumping o'
a mountebank, nor the sliding o' a play-actor, but there was an ease in
his carriage which I never saw equalled. I was particularly struck wi'
him, and especially his dancing; and it so happened that he was no less
struck wi' me. I thought he looked even better than James Laidlaw used
to do--but at times I had doubts about it. However, he had stopped all
the night at my brother-in-law's as weel as mysel; and when I got up to
gang hame the next day, he said he would bear me company. I thanked him,
and said I was obliged to him, never thinking that he would attempt such
a thing. But, just as the pony was brought out for me to ride on (and
the callant was to come up to Dunse for it at night), Mr. Walter
Sanderson mounted his horse, and says he--

'Now, wi' your permission, Miss Darling, I will see you hame.'

[F] Harvest Home.

It would hae been very rude o' me to hae said--'No, I thank you, sir,'
and especially at my time o' life, wi' twa younger sisters married that
had families; so I blushed, as it were, and giein my powny a twitch, he
sprang on to his saddle, and came trotting along by my side. He was very
agreeable company; and, when he said, 'I shall be most happy to pay you
a visit, Miss Darling,' I didna think o' what I had said, until after
that I had answered him, 'I shall be very happy to see ye, sir.' And
when I thought o' it my very cheek bones burned wi' shame.

But, howsoever, Mr. Sanderson was not long in calling again--and often
he did call, and my sisters and their guid-me