and took to her
bed. The doctor never took up her trouble; and some said it was a fever.
At last she was roused out o't, but naebody ever saw her laugh after; and
frae ane that was as cantie as a lintie, she became as douce as a Quaker,
though she aye gaed cannily about her wark, as if amaist naething had
happened. If she was ony way light-headed before, to be sure she wasna
that noo; but just what a decent quean should be, sitting for hours by
the kitchen fire her lane, reading the Bible, and thinking, wha kens, of
what wad become o' the wicked after they died; and so ye see--"

"What light is yon?" said I, interrupting him, wishing him like to break
off.

"Ou, it's just the light on some of the coal-hills. The puir blackened
creatures will be gaun down to their wark. It's an unyearthly kind of
trade, turning night intil day, and working like moudiewarts in the dark,
when decent folks are in their beds sleeping.--And so, as I was saying,
ye see, it happened ae Sunday night that a chap cam to the back door; and
the mistress too heard it. She was sitting in the foreroom wi' her specs
on, reading some sermon book; but it was the maid that answered.

"In a while thereafter, she rang her bell, being a curious body, and aye
anxious to ken a' thing of her ain affairs, let alane her neighbours; so,
after waiting a wee, she rang again,--and better rang; then lifting up
her stick, for she was stiff with the rheumaticks and decay of nature,
she hirpled into the kitchen,--but feint a hait saw she there, save the
open Bible lying on the table, the cat streekit out before the fire, and
the candle burning--the candle--na, I daur say I am wrang there, I
believe it was a lamp, for she was a near ane. As for her maiden, there
was no trace of her."

"What do ye think came owre her then?" said I to him, liking to be at my
wits' end. "Naething uncanny, I daur say?"

"Ye'll hear in a moment," answered Tammie, "a' that I ken o' the matter.
Ye see--as I asked ye before--yon trees on the hill-head to the eastward;
just below yon black cloud yonder?"

"Preceesely," said I--"I see them well enough."

"Weel, after a' thochts of finding her were gi'en up, and it was fairly
concluded, that it was the auld gudeman that had come and chappit her
out, she was fund in a pond among yon trees, floating on her back, wi'
her Sunday's claes on!!"

"Drowned?" said I to him.

"Drowned--and as stiff as a deal board," answered Tammie. "But when