idor, but--with peculiar
significance--she was AFRAID they could be easily accounted for. Sir
Alan, whose room was next to the MacSpaddens', had been disturbed by
them.

He was glad when it was time to escape to the billiard-room and tobacco.
For a while he forgot the evening's adventure, but eventually found
himself listening to a discussion--carried on over steaming tumblers of
toddy--in regard to certain predispositions of the always debatable sex.

"Ye'll not always judge by appearances," said Sir Alan. "Ye'll mind the
story o' the meenester's wife of Aiblinnoch. It was thocht that she
was ower free wi' one o' the parishioners--ay! it was the claish o' the
whole kirk, while none dare tell the meenester hisself--bein' a bookish,
simple, unsuspectin' creeter. At last one o' the elders bethocht him of
a bit plan of bringing it home to the wife, through the gospel lips
of her ain husband! So he intimated to the meenester his suspicions
of grievous laxity amang the female flock, and of the necessity of a
special sermon on the Seventh Command. The puir man consented--although
he dinna ken why and wherefore--and preached a gran' sermon! Ay, man! it
was crammed wi' denunciation and an emptyin' o' the vials o' wrath! The
congregation sat dumb as huddled sheep--when they were no' starin' and
gowpin' at the meenester's wife settin' bolt upright in her place. And
then, when the air was blue wi' sulphur frae tae pit, the meenester's
wife up rises! Man! Ivry eye was spearin' her--ivry lug was prickt
towards her! And she goes out in the aisle facin' the meenester, and--"

Sir Alan paused.

"And what?" demanded the eager auditory.

"She pickit up the elder's wife, sobbin' and tearin' her hair in strong
hysterics."

At the end of a relieved pause Sir Alan slowly concluded: "It was said
that the elder removed frae Aiblinnoch wi' his wife, but no' till he had
effected a change of meenesters."

It was already past midnight, and the party had dropped off one by one,
with the exception of Deeside, Macquoich, the young Englishman, and a
Scotch laird, who were playing poker--an amusement which he understood
they frequently protracted until three in the morning. It was nearly
time for him to expect his mysterious visitant. Before he went upstairs
he thought he would take a breath of the outer evening air, and throwing
a mackintosh over his shoulders, passed out of the garden door of the
billiard-room. To his surprise it gave immedia