mishap," replied the tapster's wife.

"Has Mattie not been behaving?" said the minister. "Like an innocent
lamb," quoth Betty Falla.

"Then--?" said the minister, lacking the rest of the query. "Anent the
yill," said Betty.

"The ale!" said the minister; "has any body been drinking and refused to
pay?"

"Na," said Betty, "they winna drink a drap."

"And would you have me to encourage the sin of drunkenness?" asked the
minister.

"Na, na," said Betty, "far frae that; I only want your kin' han' to get
in yill again as they can drink."

"I am no brewer, Betty," said the minister gravely.

"Gude forfend, Sir," said Betty, "that the like o' you should be evened
to the gyle tub. I dinna wish for ony thing o' the kind."--"Then what is
the matter?" asked the minister.

"It's witched, clean witched; as sure as I'm a born woman," said Betty.

"Naebody else will drink it, an' I canna drink it mysel'."

"You must not be superstitious, Betty," said the minister. "I'm no ony