Guy Mannering.

GUY MANNERING. 251
"It was a blyth bit ance! " said Meg, speaking to herself. "Did ye notice if there was an auld saugh tree
that's maist blawn down, but yet its roots are in the
earth, and it hangs ower the bit burn?-mony a day hae
I wrought my stocking, and sat on my sunkie under that
saugh."
" Hout, deil's i' the wife, wi' her saughs, and her sunkies, and Ellangowans.- Godsake, woman, let me away:
-there's saxpence t'ye to buy half a mutchkin, instead
o' clavering about thae auld warld stories."
" Thanks to ye, gudeman-and now ye hae answered
a' my questions and never speired wherefore I asked
them, I'll gie you a bit canny advice, and ye maunna
speir what for neither. Tib Mumps will be out wi' the
stirrup-dram in a gliffing; she'll ask ye whether ye gang
ower Willie's brae, or through Conscowthart-moss;-tell
her ony ane ye. like, but be sure" (speaking low and
emphatically) "to tak the ane ye dinzma tell her." The
farmer laughed and promised, and the gipsy retreated.
" Will you take her advice?" said Brown, who had
been an attentive listener to this conversation.
"That will I no-the randy quean! Na, I had far
rather Tib Mumps kenn'd which way I was gaun than
her-though Tib's no muckle to lippen to neither, and I
would advise ye on no account to stay in the house a'
night."
In a moment after, Tib, the landlady, appeared with
her stirrup-cup, which was taken off. She then, as DMeg
had predicted, inquired whether he went the hill or the
moss road. He answered the latter; and, having bid
Brown good-bye, and again told him, " he depended on
seeing him at Charlies-hope, the morn at latest," he rode
off at a round pace.