'
'But does he carry off men and women?'
'Out, ay. Did not ye hear him speak o' the Perth bailie? It cost that
body five hundred merks ere he got to the south of Bally-Brough. And ance
Donald played a pretty sport. [Footnote: See Note 17.] There was to be a
blythe bridal between the Lady Cramfeezer, in the howe o' the Mearns (she
was the auld laird's widow, and no sae young as she had been hersell),
and young Gilliewhackit, who had spent his heirship and movables, like a
gentleman, at cock-matches, bull-baitings, horse-races, and the like.
Now, Donald Bean Lean, being aware that the bridegroom was in request,
and wanting to cleik the cunzie (that is, to hook the siller), he cannily
carried off Gilliewhackit ae night when he was riding dovering hame (wi'
the malt rather abune the meal), and with the help of his gillies he gat
him into the hills with the speed of light, and the first place he
wakened in was the cove of Uaimh an Ri. So there was old to do about
ransoming the bridegroom; for Donald would not lower a farthing of a
thousand punds--'
'The devil!'
'Punds Scottish, ye shall understand. And the lady had not the siller if
she had pawned her gown; and they applied to the governor o' Stirling
castle, and to the major o' the Black Watch; and the governor said it was
ower far to the northward, and out of his district; and the major said
his men were gane hame to the shearing, and he would not call them out
before the victual was got in for all the Cramfeezers in Christendom, let
alane the Mearns, for that it would prejudice the country.
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