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second biggest toddy-bowl, the guardevine with the old rum, and told the

lassie to see if the tea-kettle was still boiling "Ye maun drink our

welcome hame," said he to the elders; "it would nae otherwise be canny

But I' has nae come" At these words the door opened,

and the absent elder entered, with a long face and a deep sigh "Ha!"

cried Mr Daff, "this is very droll Speak of the Evil One, and he'll

appear";--which words dinted on the heart of Mr Craig, who thought his

e in December had been the subject of their discourse The

Doctor, however, went up and shook him cordially by the hand, and said,

"Now I take this very kind, Mr Craig; for I could not have expected you,

considering ye have got, as I am told, your jo in the house"; at which

words the Doctor winked paukily to Mr Daff, who rubbed his hands with

fainness, and gave a good-huh This

facetious stroke of policy was a great relief to the afflicted elder, for

he saw by it that the Doctor did nothis deceased wife; and, in consequence, he put on a

blither face, and really affected to have forgotten her already more than

he had done in sincerity