“The doctor's comin' hame this week, a'm hearing an' he 'ill be up tae see Peter afore Sabbath. Noo ma opinion is,” and Kirsty spoke with great deliberation, “that ye micht juist bring roond the conversation till ye titched on the stove, an' Peter cud gie the doctor tae understand that there wud be nae mair argiment aboot his seat.
“Whinnie cud get a bottle fraethe Muirtown doctor on Friday—it wud be a help—but it's no medeecine, no, nor whisky,' 'at 'ill dae the wark. Gin ye settle with the minister, yir man 'ill be in the kirk afore the month be oot,” and Kirsty was invested with such mystery that Janet hardly dared an allusion to Milton's third marriage.
Peter made his first appearance in the kirk-yard the very day the stove was installed, and received the congratulations of the fathers with an admirable modesty.
“A' wes feared he micht be lifted,” Hillocks remarked, after Peter had gone in to take possession of his new seat, “an' ye cudna hae wonnered gin he hed, for he's gaen through mair than most, but he held oot his hand for the box wi' as little pride as if it hed been rheumatiks.
“He's fell hearty an' cheery, but Peter's hed a shak, an' when he saw the smoke oot the stove there wes a look cam ower his face. Sall,” concluded Hillocks, with emphasis, “he 'ill no meddle with the minister again, a 'll warrant.”
“Wha wud hae thocht the doctor wes sae veecious, or are ye considerin' that there wes anither hand in't, Hillocks?” inquired Jamie Soutar, with great smoothness of speech.
“Naebody said the minister did it, Jamie, and a' never said onybody did it, but we may hae oor ain thochts, and Peter 'ill no forget this stramash (accident) as lang as he lives.”
“Na, na, a minister's an ill craw tae shoot at, Jamie,” and Hillocks went into kirk as one who had rebuked a mocking scepticism; but Jamie stood alone under the beech-tree till they had raised the psalm, and then he followed his neighbors, with a face of funereal solemnity.