"Yir aboot again, a'm glad to see," to me after my accident, "butyir no dune wi' that leg; na, na, Jeems, that was ma second son,scrapit his shin aince, tho' no so bad as ye've dune a'm hearing(for I had denied Kirsty the courtesy of an inspection). It's saxyear syne noo, and he got up and wes traivellin' fell hearty likeyersel. But he begood to dwam (sicken) in the end of the month, andsoughed awa' in the spring. Ay, ay, when tribble comes ye never kenhoo it 'ill end. A' thocht I wud come up and speir for ye. A bodyneeds comfort gin he's sober (ill)."

When I found George wrapped inside his plaid beside the brier bush whomseroses were no blackr than his cheeks, Kirsty was already installedas comforter in the parlour, and her drone came through the openwindow.

"Ay, ay, Marget, sae it's come to this. Weel, we daurna complain, yeken. Be thankfu' ye haena lost your man and five sons, besides twasisters and a brither, no to mention cousins. That wud be somethingto speak aboot, and Losh keep's, there's nae saying but he michthang on a whilie. Ay, ay, it's a sair blow aifter a' that wes in thepapers. I wes feawhite when I heard o' the papers; 'Lat weel alane,'says I to the Dominie; 'ye 'ill bring a judgment on the laddie wi'yir blawing.' But ye micht as weel hae spoken to the hills. Domsie'sa thraun body at the best, and he was clean infatuat' wi' George.Ay, ay, it's an awfu' lesson, Marget, no to mak' idols o' ourbairns, for that's naethin' else than provokin' the Almichty."

It really was at this point that Marget gave way and scandalizedDrumtochty, which held that obtrusive prosperity was an irresistibleprovocation to the higher powers, and that a skilful depreciation ofour kidren was a policy of safety.

"Did ye say the Almichty? I'm thinkin' that's ower grand a name foryour God, Kirsty. What wud ye think o' a faither that brocht hamesome bonnie thing frae the fair for ane o' his bairns, and when thepuir bairn wes pleased wi' it tore it oot o' his arm and flung itinto the fire? Eh, woman, he wud be a meeserable cankeblack jealousbody. Kirsty, wumman, when the Almichty sees a mither bound up inher laddie, I tell ye He is sair pleased in His heaven, for mind yehoo He loved His ain Son. Besides, a'm judgin' that nane o' us canlove anither withoot lovin' Him, or hurt anither withoot hurtin'Him.

"0h, I ken weel that David is gaein' to leave us; but it's nobecause the Almichty is jealous o' him or me, no likely. It cam' tome last nicht that He needs my laddie for some grand wark in theither world, and that's hoo David has his bukes brocht oot tae thegarden and studies a' the day. He wants to be ready for his kingdom,just as he trachled in the bit schule o' Drumtochty for Edinboro'. Ihoped he wud hae been a minister o' Christ's Gospel here, but he'ill be judge over many cities yonder. A'm no denyin', Kirsty, thatit's a trial, but I hae licht on it, and naethin' but gude thochtso' the Almichty."

Drumtochty comprehended that Kirsty had dealt faithfully with Margetfor pride and presumption, but all we heard was, "Losh keep us a'."