"Ma mither thocht it was time," with a threatening of tears as she
looked at the face in the corner.

"Ye will maybe tell the Session what hass been your 'lawwork' and
how long ye hef been at Sinai."

"A' dinna ken what yir askin'. I was never oot o' Drumtochty," and
Jessie breaks down utterly.

"A' dinna think, Moderator, we ocht tae ask sic questions," broke in
Burnbrae, who could not see a little one put to confusion; "an' I
canna mind them in the Gospels. There's ae commandment Jessie keeps
weel, as a' can testeefy, and that's the fifth, for there's no a
better dochter in Drumtochty. A' move, Moderator, she get her token;
dinna greet, puir woman, for ye've dune weel, and the Session's rael
satisfeed."

"It wass Dr. John's mark I wass trying the girl by," explained
Lachlan after Jessie had gone away comforted. "And it iss a goot
mark, oh yes, and very searching.

"Ye will maybe not know what it iss, Moderator," and Lachlan
regarded the minister with austere superiority, for it was the
winter of the feud.

No, he did not, nor any of the Session, being all douce Scotchmen,
except Donald Menzies who was at home fighting the devil.

"It iss broken bones, and Dr. John did preach three hours upon it at