Part 15 (2/2)

”A very nice story,” he said, ”but, ye ken, it's just a story You cudna guess the real reason why Mary hated him so much”

”Then as the real reason, Dauvit?”

He laughed

”Mary hated Willie Murray because he aince telt her that she was a silly woman to think that she cud wear a nuether, and then I said:

”Dauvit, why did you never htful

”Man,” he said, ”I've often speered the saye fond o' the lassies, butI dinna ken!” and he broke off suddenly and took up a boot ”Thae soles are just paper noo-a-days,” he growled

I refused to let him run away from the subject

”Had you a sweetheart?” I asked

He laughed boisterously to hide his confusion

”Dozens o' them!” he cried

”Then why didn't you marry one of them?”

He shook his head

”Dorate for a while

”There was Maggie Adams, a bonny lassie she was Man, I hed ”Aye, ie mair than ony o' the others”

”Did she love someone else?” I asked softly

Dauvit took soie wanted me”

”Then the fault lay on your side? You didn't love her!”

Dauvit brought his hand down on the board

”Goad, man, but I did!”

I could not understand

”Man, on the road hame frae Kirrie Market I was to speer if she wud marry mebut I didna”