CONTENTS
Farms were held on lease in Drumtochty, and according to a good old customdescended from father to son, so that some of the farmers' forbears hadbeen tenants as long as Lord Kilspindie's ancestors had been owners. If afamily died out, then a successor from foreign parts had to be introduced,and it was in this way Milton made his appearance and scandalised the Glenwith a new religion. It happened also in our time that Gormack, havingquarrelled with the factor about a feeding byre he wanted built, flung uphis lease in a huff, and it was taken at an enormous increase by aguileless tradesman from Muirtown, who had made his money by selling“pigs” (crockery-ware), and believed that agriculture came by inspiration.Optimists expected that his cash might last for two years, but pessimistsdeclared their belief that a year would see the end of the “merchant's” experiment, and Gormack watched the course of events from a hired house atKildrummie.
Jamie Soutar used to give him “a cry” on his way to the station, andbrought him the latest news.
“It's maybe juist as weel that ye retired frae business, Gormack, for theauld fairm's that spruced up ye wud hardly ken it wes the same place.
“The merchant's put ventilators intae the feedin' byre, and he's speakin'aboot glass windows tae keep the stots frae wearyin', an' as forinventions, the place is fair scatted up wi' them. There's ain that tookme awfu'; it's for peelin' the neeps tae mak them tasty for the cattlebeasts.
“Ye hed nae method, man, and a' dinna believe ye hed an inspection a' theyears ye were at Gormack. Noo, the merchant is up at half eicht, and gaesower the hale steadin' wi' Robbie Duff at his heels, him 'at he's got foridle grieve, an' he tries the corners wi' his handkerchief tae see thatthere's nae stoor (dust).
“It wud dae ye gude tae see his library; the laist day I saw him he wesreadin' a book on 'Comparative Agriculture' afore his door, and heexplained hoo they grow the maize in Sooth Ameriky; it wes verrainterestin'; a' never got as muckle information frae ony fairmer inDrumtochty.”
“A'm gled ye cam in, Jamie,” was all Gormack said, “for I wes near takin'this hoose on a three-year lease. Ae year 'ill be eneuch noo, a'mthinkin'.”
Within eighteen months of his removal Gormack was again in possession atthe old rent, and with a rebate for the first year to compensate him forthe merchant's improvements.
“It 'ill tak the feck o' twa years,” he explained in the kir