"The Psalms of David," retorted Whamond, "mount straight to
heaven, but your paraphrases sticks to the ceiling o' the kirk."

"You're a bigoted set, Tammas Whamond, but I tell you this, and
it's my last words to you the nicht, the day'll come when you'll
hae Mr. Duthie, ay, and even the U. P. minister, preaching in the
Auld Licht kirk."

"And let this be my last words to you," replied the precentor,
furiously; "that rather than see a U. P. preaching in the Auld
Licht kirk I would burn in hell fire for ever!"

This gossip increased Gavin's knowledge of the grim men with whom
he had now to deal. But as he sat beside Margaret after she had
gone to bed, their talk was pleasant.

"You remember, mother," Gavin said, "how I almost prayed for the
manse that was to give you an egg every morning. I have been
telling Jean never to forget the egg."

"Ah, Gavin, things have come about so much as we wanted that I'm a
kind o' troubled. It's hardly natural, and I hope nothing terrible
is to happen now."

Gavin arranged her pillows as she liked them, and when he next
stole into the room in his stocking soles to look at her, he
thought she was asleep. But she was not. I dare say she saw at
that moment Gavin in his first frock, and Gavin in knickerbockers,
and Gavin as he used to walk into the Glasgow room from college,
all still as real to her as the Gavin who had a kirk.