"Truly, bein' her ain, she micht. But ye're a kin' o' a guairdian till her�-arena ye?"
"Ow! ay. I hae made mysel' that in a way; but Bruce wad aye be luikit upon as the proper guairdian."
"Hae ye ony haud upo' the siller?"
"I gart him sign a lawyer's paper aboot it."
"Weel, ye jist gang and demand the Bible, alang wi' the lave o' Annie's property. Ye ken she's had trouble aboot her kist (chest), and canna get it frae the swallowin' cratur'. And gin he maks ony demur, jist drap a hint o' gaein to the lawyer aboot it. The like o' him's as fleyt at a lawyer as cats at cauld water. Get the Bible we maun. And ye maun fess't to me direckly."
Dow was a peaceable man, and did not much relish the commission.
Cupples, thinking he too was a missionar, told him the story.
"Weel," said Dow, "lat him sit there. Maybe they'll haud him frae doin' mair mischeef. Whan ye jabble a stank, the stink rises."
"I thocht ye was ane o' them. Ye maunna lat it oot."
"Na, na. I a' haud my tongue."
"I care naething aboot it. But there's Thamas Crann jist eatin' his ain hert. It's a sin to lat sic a man live in sic distress."