( Sharp. He's a very provoking hoy. I’ll
say that, but he’s not 4 years old yet
and nobody must lay their hands on
him but myself."
"Go. ay. an’ he’s to got leave to
blacken my w.T an’ destroy folk’s fun
eral sorks an’ a kin’ kind o’ mischief
an’ we daurna say boo till him. daurna
say oor lugs is oor ain! Wha’t he? 1
fancy ye’ll he tellin’s he's a gentle
man's son next 'at daurna he meddled
w i'. An' wha' are you Unit winna eor
rek your bairns like ither honest folk '
Wha' kens what you are or whaur you
i am’ frae? What for shouldna your
bairn be liekit like it her folk's when
ho does wrung? 'Deed, hoo are we to
ken if ye’re a widow ava? We’ve only
your word for that. Ha. ha!"
With this parting shot Hie virago
went out chuckling, her anger some
what soothed with the utterance of the
mal ieious suggest ion.
White as a sheet. Mrs Nairn lifted
her skirt from Hie trembling child, led
him into the room and sluing down
took him up on her knee and held him
passionately to her bosom.
"is the wild woman awa’?" tlie hoy
whispered, fearfully, with his face hid
den on her breast.
"Yes, dearie, she's away," said his
mother.
Thus assured, he ventured to turn
and look up, (irsi with one eye and
then the other, finally sitting suddenly
upright and looking perplexedly into
i is mother’s face.
