CHAPTER XXXIII
WHILE THE TEN O'CLOCK BELL WAS RINGING
In the square and wynds — weavers in groups

Eas O, no, Davit, Mr. Dishart hadna felt the

blow the piper gave him till he ascended
the pulpit to conduct the prayer-meeting for rain,
and then he fainted awa. —Tammas Whamond
and Peter Tosh carried him to the session-house.
Ay, an awful scene.”

“ How did the minister no come to the meet-
ing? I wonder how you could expect it, Snecky,
and his mother ta’en so suddenly ill; he’s at her
bedside, but the doctor has little hope.”

“This is what has occurred, Tailor: Mr.
Dishart never got the length of the pulpit. He
fell in a swound on the vestry floor. What
caused it? Oh, nothing but the heat. Thrums
is so dry that one spark would set it in a blaze.”

“T canna get at the richts o’ what keeped him
frae the meeting, Femie, but it had something to
do wi’ an Egyptian on the hill. Very like he
had been trying to stop the gypsy marriage there.
I gaed to the manse to speir at Jean what was
wrang, but I’m thinking I telled her mair than
she could tell me.”

“Man, man, Andrew, the wite o’t lies wi’

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