, and cleared his throat, and frowned, as one who
would broach unpleasant news. It was not like him to hesitate. But the
old man, encased in senility, was ill to disturb; he was intent on
nothing but the work before him; it was mechanical and soothing, and
occupied his whole mind. Gourlay, so often the trampling brute without
knowing it, felt it brutal to wound the faithful old creature dreaming
at his toil. He would have found it much easier to discharge a younger
and a keener man.

"Stop, Peter," he said at last; "I don't need you ainy more."

Peter rose stiffly from his knees and shook the mould with a pitiful
gesture from his hands. His mouth was fallen slack, and showed a few
yellow tusks.

"Eh?" he asked vaguely. The thought that he must leave the Gourlays
could not penetrate his mind.

"I don't need you ainy more," said Gourlay again, and met his eye
steadily.

"I'm gey auld," said Peter, still shaking his hands with that pitiful
gesture, "but I only need a bite and a sup. Man, I'm willin' to tak
onything."

"It's no that," said Gourlay sourly--"it's no that. But I'm giving up
the business."

Peter said nothing, but gazed away down the garden, his sunken mouth
forgetting to munch its straw, which dangled by his chin. "I'm an auld
servant," he said at last, "and, mind ye," he flashed in pride, "I'm a
true ane."

"Oh, you're a' that," Gourlay grunted; "you have been a good servant."

"It'll be the poorhouse, it's like," mused Peter. "Man, have ye noathing
for us to do?" he asked pleadingly.

Gourlay's jaw clamped. "Noathing, Peter," he said sullenly, "noathing;"
and slipped some money into Peter's heedless palm.

Peter stared stupidly down at the coins. He seemed dazed. "Ay, weel," he
said; "I'll feenish the tatties, at ony rate."

"No, no, Peter," and Gourlay gripped him by the shoulder as he turned
back to his work--"no, no; I have no right to keep you. Never mind about
the money; you deserve something, going so suddenly after sic a long
service. It's just a bit present to mind you o'--to mind you o'----" he
broke suddenly and scowled across the garden.

Some men, when a feeling touches them, express their emotion in tears;
others by an angry scowl--hating themselves inwardly, perhaps, for their
weakness in being moved, hating, too, the occasion that has probed their
weakness. It was because he felt parting with Peter so keenly that
Gourlay behaved more sullenly than usual. Peter had been with Go