The Ten o’Clock Bell 333

** And, to my shame, I am so comfortable that
I almost forgot how others are suffering. But
my son never forgets, Jean. You are not crying,
are you?”

“ No, ma’am.”

“‘ Bring the iron to the parlour, then. And if
the minis— Why did you start, Jean? I only
heard a dog barking.”

“1 thocht, ma’am —at first I thocht it was
Mr. Dishart opening the door. Ay, it’s just a
dog; some gypsy dog on the hill, I’m thinking,
for sound would carry far the nicht.”

“Even you, Jean, are nervous at nights, I see,
if there is no man in the house. We shall hear
no more distant dogs barking, I warrant, when
the minister comes home.”

“When he comes home, ma’am.”

On the middle of a hill—a man and a woman

“‘ Courage, beloved; we are nearly there.”

“ But, Gavin, I cannot see the encampment.”

“ The night is too dark.”

“ But the gypsy fires? ”

“They are in the Toad’s-hole.”

* Listen to that dog barking.”

“There are several dogs at the encampment,
Babbie.”

“There is one behind us. See, there it is!”

“TI have driven it away, dear. You are trem-
bling.”

“What we are doing frightens me, Gavin. It
is at your heels again |”

“It seems to know you.”