e; and many a time I've
brought her home some trifle that I got from one of the coastmen--when
they brought in a runlet or two of spirits, or lace, and tabacker--some
French gewgaw or a handkerchief; and a good deal of my spare money went
that way, for Uncle Ivan kept us pretty short of spending. It was like
giving it to Rab, I thought; but yet I noticed once or twice that the
boy looked serious when I showed him anything to give to Maggie, though
I often asked him if he'd give it to her himself.

Maybe I'd ha' been less easy if there had seemed to me more than a lad's
liking and a lassie's pleasure, that meant little of lasting; for there
were two men, if not three, hankering about Donald Miller's house such
times as they could make excuse to gae there, an' one o' them made
believe often enough, for he was head keeper to the laird on some
shootin's that lay an hour's stout walking from Slievaloch; an' now it
was a couple o' rabbits for Mistress Miller, or a word or twa with
Donald about the bit cover for game beyond the big house; but a' the
time he sat an' smoked his tabacker, or took a sup o' parritch or
sowans, or a dish o' herrin', he'd have an eye to Maggie. An evil eye
it was, too, for he was a lowerin' carl, and 'twas said that he was more
poacher than keeper; while some folk (and I was one) knew well that
there was anither business brought him round toward Slievaloch. I shame
to say it, but at that time--ye ken I speak of nigh sixty year ago--
there was a smoke to be seen coming out frae a neuk i' the hills at a
wild place where there seemed to be naething but granite and bracken,
and a shanty or two, for shelter to the men quarrying the granite. But
it wasna frae the huts that the smoke rose. A good two mile awa' there
was a stone cottie, more like a cave, as though it had been burrowed out
by wind and water, and got closed in wi' boulders o' rock, and covered
with earth and broom, so that naebody could see how it led by a hole i'
the prong o' the hill to just sic anither hut, and neither of the twa to
be seen, except by goin' o'er the hill-side. In this second one there
was a fire smoulderin' under a furnace, and a' the place dark and smoky,
and fu' o' the reek o' sma'-still whisky, that had nae paid the king's
duty; an' on a cowhide i' the corner crouched auld Birnie, as blear and
withered as a dried haddie, waitin' for his wife to come trudgin' back
wi' silver shillin's and the empty leather bottle of