he said, "I know ye're in there. We've got a
beautiful lesson to-day." We crouched in a corner, still silent.

"Come, boys," he urged, "don't keep me waiting. The lesson is about the
Prodigal Son."

"Say somethin', Arthur," I urged. He did.

"T' hell wi' the Prodigal Son!" he said, whereupon the little man jumped
the low wall into the outer yard and drove the big, grunting, wallowing
sow in on top of us! Our yells could be heard a mile away. We came out
and were collared and taken off to Sunday School.

When I returned, the cups were all tossed and the visitors had gone, but
Willie Withero had dropped in and was invited to "stap" for tea. He was
our most welcome visitor and there was but one house where he felt at
home.

"Tay" that evening consisted of "stir-about," Sonny Johnson's unearned
bap and buttermilk. Willie made more noise "suppin'" his stir-about than
Jamie did, and I said:

"Did ye iver hear ov th' cow that got her foot stuck in a bog, Willie?"

"No, boy, what did she do?"

"She got it out!" A stern look from Jamie prevented the application.

"Tell me, Willie," Anna said, "is it thrue that ye can blink a cow so
that she can give no milk at all?"

"It's jist a hoax, Anna, some oul bitch said it an' th' others cackle it
from doore to doore. I've naither wife nor wain, chick nor chile, I ate
th' bread ov loneliness an' keep m' own company an' jist bekase I don't
blether wi' th' gossoons th' think I'm uncanny. Isn't that it, Jamie,
eh!"

"Aye, ye're right, Willie, it's quare what bletherin' fools there are in
this town!"

Willie held his full spoon in front of his mouth while he replied:

"It's you that's the dacent maan, Jamie, 'deed it is."

"The crocks are empty, dear," Anna said to me. After "tay," to the town
well I went for the night's supply of water. When I returned the dishes
were washed and on the dresser. The floor was swept and the family were
swappin' stories with Withero. Sunday was ever the day of Broth and
Romance. Anna made the best broth and told the best stories. No Sunday
was complete without a good story. On the doorstep that night she told
one of her best. As she finished the church bell tolled the curfew. Then
the days of the month were tolled off.

"Sammy's arm is gey shtrong th' night," Willie said.

"Aye," Jamie said, "an' th' oul bell's got a fine ring."

CHAPTER V

HIS ARM IS NOT SHORTENED

When Anna had to choose between love and religion--the religion