Of course, the natural politeness of the stranger prevented him from obtruding his conversation upon ladies with whom he was not acquainted.

The honest farmer, however, felt no such scruples, nor, as it happened, did one at least of the ladies in question.
"This is a nice affair," he observed, "about the Black Baronet's daughter." "What is a nice affair ?" asked our friend Alley, for she it was, as the reader of course is already aware--"What is a nice affair ?" "Why, that Miss Gourlay, they say, fell in love with a buttonmaker's clerk from London, and is goin' to marry him in spite of all opposition." "Who's your authority for that ?" asked Alley; "but whoever is, is a liar, and the truth is not in him--that's what I say." "Ay, but what do you know about it ?" asked the grazier.

"You're not in Miss Gourlay's saicrets--and a devilish handsome, gentlemanly lookin' fellow they say the button-maker is.

Faith, I can tell you, I give tooth-an-egg-credit.

The fellow will get a darlin' at all events--and he'll be very bad indeed, if he's not worth a ship-load of that profligate Lord Dunroe." "Well," replied Alley, "I agree with you there, at all events; for God sees that the same Lord Dunroe will make the cream of a bad husband to whatsoever poor woman will suffer by him.