"That will do. On the strength of that promise I shall be right neeborly."
Bidding them good night, he went home with fresh hopes kindled in his bosom.
The purse Donald brought home with him did much towards improving the farm stock and utensils, besides furnishing the house more comfortably. After this outlay there was still left a small sum, which Donald put at interest. "It would be gude for a rainy day," he said.
It would seem that Donald's second attempt at courtship was more successful than the first, for six months after his return he was married to Annie Murdoch.
"That is noo as it s'ould be," said honest Wullie. "It aye lookit to me that it maun come to that yet; but some folk are lang in seeing what is for their gude."
Douce Donald, as he was now always called, to distinguish him from his son, could not quite forget his son's former trouble. He said to Annie, half jestingly, "Ye s'ouldna hae taen sae lang a time to mak up your mind, ye wilfu' puss."
"Never mind that now, faither," said Donald. "Ye wouldna have had sae saft an auld age without the gear that came of my disappointment."
When Donald and Annie had been married a twelvemonth a daughter was born to them. Great was the joy in the household. The grandfather was hardly less pleased than the father. He went to honest Wullie's to communicate his gladness and to congratulate him.
"We hae a fine granddaughter, neebor Murdoch. The sight o' her will be gude for oor auld een. If the gude Lord spares her till us, she will beguile the lang weary hours o' auld age."
"Ay, it is gude to see young faces when we are auld; but I think ye will find your hours nane too lang, neebor McPherson. God gies to nane o' us mair time than we need."