Winsome did know it very well, but she only said, "My name is
Winsome Charteris, and this is Meg Kissock."

"Winsome Charteris, Winsome Charteris," said Ralph's heart over
and over again, and he had not even the grace to say "Thank you";
but Meg stepped up to shake him by the hand.

"I'm braw an' prood to ken ye, sir," said Meg. "That muckle sumph
[stupid], Saunders Mowdiewort, telled me a' aboot ye comin' an'
the terrible store o' lear [learning] ye hae. He's the minister's
man, ye ken, an' howks the graves ower by at the parish kirk-yard,
for the auld betheral there winna gang ablow three fit deep, and
them that haes ill-tongued wives to haud doon disna want ony
mistake--"

"Meg," said her mistress, "do not forget yourself."

"Deil a fear," said Meg; "it was auld Sim o' Glower-ower-'em, the
wizened auld hurcheon [hedgehog], that set a big thruch stane ower
his first wife; and when he buried his second in the neist grave,
he just turned the broad flat stone. 'Guid be thankit!' he says,
'I had the forethocth to order a stane heavy eneuch to hand them
baith doon!'"

"Get to the washing, Meg," said Winsome.

"Fegs!" returned Meg, "ye waur in nae great hurry yersel' doon aff
the broomy knowe! What's a' the steer sae sudden like?"

Winsome disdained an answer, but stood to her own tub, where some