hat way, ye ignorant woman?' ye would
na think it, she answered like honey itsel'. 'I'm askin' your paarrdon,'
says she; and her mon by her side said, 'Gang hame to your ain hoose,
my woman, and Gude help ye, and help us a' at our need,' the decent mon.
'It's just there I'm for,' said I, 'to get my mon his breakfast.'"

All who heard her drew their breath with difficulty.

The woman then made for her own house, but in going up the street she
passed the wet coat hanging on the line.

She stopped directly.

They all trembled--they had forgotten the coat--it was all over; the
coat would tell the tale.

"Aweel," said she, "I could sweer that's Liston Carnie's coat, a droukit
wi' the rain;" then she looked again at it, and added, slowly, "if I did
na ken he has his away wi' him at the piloting." And in another
moment she was in her own house, leaving them all standing there half
stupefied.

Christie had indeed endeavored to speak, but her tongue had cloven to
her mouth.

While they stood looking at one another, and at Beeny Liston's door, a
voice that seemed incredibly rough, loud and harsh, jarred upon them; it
was Sandy Liston, who came in from Leith, shouting:

"Fifty pounds for salvage, lasses! is na thaat better than staying
cooard-like aside the women?"

"Whisht! whisht!" cried Christie.

"We are in heavy sorrow; puir Liston Cairnie and his son Willy lie deed
at the bottom o' the Firrth."

"Gude help us!" said Sandy, and his voice sank.

"An', oh, Sandy, the wife does na ken, and it's hairt-breaking to see
her, and hear her; we canna get her tell't; ye're the auldest mon here;
ye'll tell her, will ye no, Sandy?"

"No, me, that' I will not!"

"Oh, yes; ye are kenned for your stoot heart, an' courage; ye come fra'
facing the sea an' wind in a bit yawl."

"The sea and the wind," cried he, contemptuously; "they be ----, I'm
used wi' them; but to look a woman i' the face, an' tell her her mon and
her son are drowned since yestreen, I hae na coorage for that."

All further debate was cut short by the entrance of one who came
expressly to discharge the sad duty all had found so difficult. It was
the Presbyterian clergyman of the place; he waved them back. "I know, I
know," said he, solemnly. "Where is the wife?"

She came out of her house at this moment, as it happened, to purchase
something at Drysale's shop, which was opposite.

"Beeny," said the clergyman, "I have sorrowful tidings."

"Tell me them