, and twa heads are better than ane."

John laughed and mended the fire, and asked "whether it was Robin or
Jack this time, and what was ado now?"

"It's aboot neither the one nor the other," said Saunners, with a touch
of offence in his voice. "It's aboot the lass at the manse--Allison
Bain."

It had been a part of Crombie's plan "to take the lad by surprise" when
he mentioned Allison's name, and he peered eagerly into his face "to see
what he could see." But the peats, which John had put on with a liberal
hand, had darkened the fire for the time, and he had taken his place
beside his mother's chair and was leaning on it, as he had a way of
doing when anything special was to be said between them, and Saunners
saw nothing. "Begin at the beginning," said Mrs Beaton. So Saunners
began again, and getting into the spirit of the affair, told it well.
They listened in silence till he came to a pause.

"It is a curious story," said John, by way of saying something.

"It was a curious story as I heard it," said Saunners. "Is the wee wine
`a' there'?" asked John quietly. "I'm by no means sure o' it. She
looked daft-like when she shook her neive (fist) at the man Brownrig
behind his back and called him ill names. And her lauch when she told
me that the man had never touched his wife's hand since the day he put
the ring upon it, and when she swore that _never_ had he touched her
lips, was mad enow."

John's mother felt the start which her son gave when the words were
spoken.

"And is it true, think ye?" said she. "There seems to be truth in the
story, but where it lies I canna say. And whether it be true or no, I
am beginning to think that I have no call to make or meddle in it."

"There is just one thing that I must say again," said Mrs Beaton--"I'll
never believe an ill word of Allison Bain till with her own lips she
gives me leave to do it! She is a good woman, whatever trouble may have
been brought into her life by the ill-doing of others."

"What think ye, John?" said Saunners.

"I think ye did a wise thing when ye came to consult with my mother.
She kens a good woman when she sees her."

"There may be truth in the story. It may be a' true. But the question
for me to decide with your advice is whether a word o' mine will help or
hinder the richt thing's being done?"

"Yes, that is the question," said Mrs Beaton. She hesitated to say
more. For she knew that to set one side of a matter in a strong l