nding with her arms wide set, and her hands on
that part of the onstead that appears to have been built for them, "wad
hae ye mind that I was but a lassock when ye cam' knoitin' an' hirplin'
alang the Ayrshire road frae Dalmellington."

"I mind brawly," said Tammock, drawing bravely away. "Ay, Mary, ye were
a strappin' wean. Ye said ye wadna hae me; I mind that weel. That was
the way ye fell in wi' Drumquhat, when I gied up thochts o' ye mysel'."

"_You_ gie up thochts o' me, Tammock! Was there ever siccan presumption?
Ye'll no' speak that way in my hoose. Hoo daur ye? Saunders, hear till
him. Wull ye sit there like a puddock on a post, an' listen to
this--this Ayrshireman misca' your marriet wife, Alexander M'Quhirr?
Shame till ye, man!"

My married wife was well capable of taking care of herself in anything
that appertained to the strife of tongues. In the circumstances,
therefore, I did not feel called upon to interfere.

"Ye can tak' a note o' the circumstance an' tell the minister the next
time he comes owre," said I, dry as a mill-hopper.

She whisked away into the milk-house, taking the door after her as far
as it would go with a _flaff_ that brought a bowl, which had been set on
its edge to dry, whirling off the dresser on to the stone floor.

When the wife came back, she paused before the fragments. We were
sitting smoking very peacefully and wondering what was coming.

"Wha whammelt my cheeny bowl?" said Mistress M'Quhirr, in a tone which,
had I not been innocent, would have made me take the stable.

"Wha gaed through that door last?" said I.

"The minister," says she.

"Then it maun hae been the minister that broke the bowl. Pit it by for
him till he comes. I'm no' gaun to be wracked oot o' hoose an' hame for
reckless ministers."

"But wha was't?" she said, still in doubt.

"Juist e'en the waff o' your ain coat-tails, mistress," said Tammock. "I
hae seen the day that mair nor bowls whammelt themsel's an' brak' into
flinders to be after ye."

And Tammock sighed a sigh and shook his head at the red _greesoch_ in
the grate.

"Hoots, haivers!" said the mistress. But I could see she was pleased,
and wanted Tammock to go on. He was a great man all his days with the
women-folk by just such arts. On the contrary, I am for ever getting
cracks on the crown for speaking to them as ye would do to a man body.
Some folk have the gift and it is worth a hundred a year to them at the
least.

"Ay," said Tamm