192 The Little Minister

“7 dinna ken.”

“J thocht no,” said Haggart, triumphantly.
“Weel, I warrant he was a minister, too. Ay,
catch a woman giving up a minister, except for
another minister.”

All were looking on Haggart with admiration,
when a voice from the door cried:

“Listen, and I’ll tell you a queerer ane than
that.”

“ Dagont,” cried Birse, “ it’s Wearywarld, and
he has been hearkening. Leave him to me.”

When the post returned, the conversation was
back at Mr. Dishart.

“Yes, lathies,’ Haggart was saying, “ daft-
ness about women comes to all, gentle and sim-
ple, common and colleged, humourists and no
humourists. You say Mr. Dishart has preached
ower muckle at women to stoop to marriage, but
that makes no differ. Mony a humorous thing
hae I said about women, and yet Chirsty has me.
It’s the same wi’ ministers. A’ at aince they see
a lassie no unlike ither lassies, away goes their
learning, and they skirl out, ‘You dawtie!’
That’s what comes to all.”

“ But it hasna come to Mr. Dishart,” cried
Rob Dow, jumping to his feet. He had sought
Haggart to tell him all, but now he saw the
wisdom of telling nothing. “I’m sick o’ your
blathers. Instead 0’ the minister’s being sweet-
hearting yesterday, he was just at the Kaims
visiting the gamekeeper. I met him in the
Wast town-end, and gaed there and back wi’ him.”

“That’s proof it’s a Glasgow leddy,” said
Snecky.