To the Woman’s Piping 159

Gavin, who felt that he had sat silent and self-
conscious on his stool too long.

“Do you mean that he drinks?” asked
Babbie.

“No, I mean regular in his attendance.”

The Egyptian’s face showed no enlightenment.

“‘ Fis attendance at church,” Gavin explained.

“He's far frae it,’ said Nanny, “and as a
body kens, Joe Cruickshanks, the atheist, has
the wite o’ that. The scoundrel telled Enoch
that the great ministers in Edinbury and London
believed in no hell except sic as your ain con-
science made for you, and ever since syne Enoch
has been careless about the future state.”

“Ah,” said Babbie, waving the Church aside,
“what I want to know is whether he is a single
man.”

“ He is not,” Gavin replied, “ but why do you
want to know that?”

“‘ Because single men are such gossips. I am
sorry he is not single, as I want him to repeat to
everybody what I told him.”

“Trust him to tell Susy,’
Susy to tell the town.”

“ Flis wife is a gossip?”

“ Ay, she’s aye tonguing, especially about her
teeth. They’re folk wi’ siller, and she has a set
o’ false teeth. It’s fair scumfishing to hear her
blawing about thae teeth, she’s so fleid we dinna
ken that they’re false.”

Nanny had spoken jealously, but suddenly she
trembled with apprehension.

“‘ Babbie,” she cried, “ you didna speak about
the poorhouse to Enoch?”

?

said Nanny, “and