exterordinar."

"Div ye min' whan first he cam' to the toon, lass?"

"Ay; what wad hinner me min'in' that? It's nae sae lang."

"Ma'colm 'at's sic a fine laad noo, they tell me wasna muckle bigger
nor a gey haddie (tolerable haddock)."

"But the auld man was an auld man than, though nae doobt he's unco'
failed sin syne."

"A dochter's bairn, they say, the laad."

"Ay, they say, but wha kens? Duncan could never be gotten to open
his mou' as to the father or mither o' 'im, an' sae it weel may be
as they say. It's nigh twenty year noo, I'm thinkin' sin he made's
appearance. Ye wasna come frae Scaurnose er' than."

"Some fowk says the auld man's name's no MacPhail, an' he maun
hae come here in hidin' for some rouch job or ither 'at he's been
mixed up wi'.

"I s' believe nae ill o' sic a puir, hairmless body. Fowk 'at maks
their ain livin', wantin' the een to guide them, canna be that far
aff the straucht. Guid guide 's! we hae eneuch to answer for, oor
ainsels, ohn passed (without passing) jeedgment upo ane anither."

"I was but tellin' ye what fowk telled me," returned the younger
woman.