have a pony purchased and
put into the stables of the Cottage on Tuesday afternoon. There are
stables, no doubt."

"Oh, ay,--there's shelter, nae doot, for mair pownies than they'll
ride. When the Cottage was biggit, my leddie, there was nae cause for
sparing nowt." Andy Gowran was continually throwing her comparative
poverty in poor Lizzie's teeth, and there was nothing he could do
which displeased her more.

"And I needn't spare my cousin the use of a pony," she said
grandiloquently, but feeling as she did so that she was exposing
herself before the man. "You'll have the goodness to procure one for
him on Tuesday."

"But there ain't aits nor yet fother, nor nowt for bedding down.
And wha's to tent the pownie? There's mair in keeping a pownie than
your leddyship thinks. It'll be a matter of auchteen and saxpence a
week,--will a pownie." Mr. Gowran, as he expressed his prudential
scruples, put a very strong emphasis indeed on the sixpence.

"Very well. Let it be so."

"And there'll be the beastie to buy, my leddie. He'll be a lump of
money, my leddie. Pownies ain't to be had for nowt in Ayrshire, as
was ance, my leddie."

"Of course I must pay for him."

"He'll be a matter of ten pound, my leddie."

"Very well."

"Or may be twal; just as likely." And Mr. Gowran shook his head at
his mistress in a most uncomfortable way. It was not surprising that
she should hate him.

"You must give the proper price,--of course."

"There ain't no proper prices for pownies,--as there is for jew'ls
and sich like." If this was intended for sarcasm upon Lady Eustace in
regard to her diamonds, Mr. Gowran ought to have been dismissed on
the spot. In such a case no English jury would have given him his
current wages. "And he'll be to sell again, my leddie?"

"We shall see about that afterwards."

"Ye'll never let him eat his head off there a' the winter! He'll
be to sell. And the gentles'll ride him, may be, ance across the
hillside, out and back. As to the grouse, they can't cotch them
with the pownie, for there ain't none to cotch." There had been two
keepers on the mountains,--men who were paid five or six shillings a
week to look after the game in addition to their other callings, and
one of these had been sent away, actually in obedience to Gowran's
advice;--so that this blow was cruel and unmanly. He made it, too, as
severe as he could by another shake of his head.

"Do you mean to tell me that my cousin cannot be su