"Whose hands, child? Who's doing all this to him?"

"They stan' aboot the corners o' the streets, mem, in muckle toons, and
they catch a haud o' young laads, and they trail them awa' wi' them,
and they jist torment the life oot o' them. They say they're women; but
I dinna believe that. It's no possible. They maun be men dressed up in
women's claes."

Was it a great relief to the mother's heart to find that the childish
understanding of Isie had misinterpreted and misrepresented? She rose
and left the room, and her troubled step went to and fro overhead. And
the spirit of Annie was troubled likewise. How much she understood, I
cannot determine; but I believe that a sense of vague horror and pity
overwhelmed her heart. Yet the strength of her kindness forced her to
pay some attention to the innocent little messenger of evil.

"Whaur heard ye a' that, Isie, dear?"

"I heard my father and my mither gaein' on lamentin' ower him efter I
was i' my bed, and they thocht I was asleep. But gin Mistress Forbes
winna tak' him awa', I'll gang and tell a' the ministers in Glamerton,
and see whether they winna raise the toon."

Annie stared in amazement at the wee blue-eyed wizened creature before
her speaking with the decision of a minor prophet.

"Is the child here still?" said Mrs Forbes with some asperity as she
re-entered the room. "I must go by the mail this afternoon, Annie."

"That's richt, mem," said Isie. "The suner the better, I'm sure. He
mayna be deid yet."

"What a very odd child!" said Mrs Forbes.

"Wouldn't it be better to write first, ma'am?" suggested Annie.

Before Mrs Forbes could reply, the white mutch of Mrs Constable
appeared over the top of the snow that walled the path. She was in hot
pursuit of her child, whose footsteps she had traced. When shown into
the dining-room, she rushed up to her, and caught her to her bosom,
crying,

"Ye ill-contrived smatchit! What hae ye been aboot, rinnin' awa' this
gait? I wonner ye wasna droont i' the Glamour."

"I don't see what better you could expect of your own child, Mrs
Constable, if you go spreading reports against other people's
children," said Mrs Forbes bitterly.

"It's a lee whaever said sae," retorted Mrs Constable fiercely. "Wha
tell't ye that?"

"Where else could your child have heard such reports, then?"

"Isie! Isie! My poor wee bairn! What hae ye been aboot to tak' awa' yer
mither's gude name?"

And she hugged the child closer yet.

Isie