tuation grew upon him, "whar are ye tae sleep, and
what are ye to sit on? An' div ye never eat? This croons a';" and
Mains gazed at his new minister as one who supposed that he had taken
Jeremiah's measure and had failed utterly.

"_Mea culpa_--it's . . . my blame," and Saunderson was evidently
humbled at this public exposure of his incapacity; "some slight
furnishing will be expedient, even necessary, and I have a plan for
book-shelves in my head; it is ingenious and convenient, and if there
is a worker in wood . . ."

"Come awa' tae the dog-cart, sir," said Mains, realising that even
Kilbogie did not know what a singular gift they had obtained, and that
discussion on such sublunary matters as pots and pans was useless, not
to say profane. So eight carts got a box each; one, Jeremiah's ancient
kist of moderate dimensions; and the tenth--that none might be left
unrecognised--a handbag that had been on the twelve years' probation
with its master. The story grew as it passed westwards, and when it
reached us we were given to understand that the Free Kirk minister of
Kilbogie had come to his parish with his clothing in a paper parcel and
twenty-four packing cases filled with books, in as many languages--half
of them dating from the introduction of printing, and fastened by
silver clasps--and that if Drumtochty seriously desired to hear an
intellectual sermon at a time, we must take our way through Tochty
woods.

Mrs. Pitillo took the minister into her hands, and compelled him to
accompany her to Muirtown, where she had him at her will for some time,
so that she equipped the kitchen (fully), a dining-room (fairly), a
spare bedroom (amply), Mr. Saunderson's own bedroom (miserably), and
secured a table and two chairs for the study. This success turned her
head. Full of motherly forethought, and having a keen remembrance that
probationers always retired in the afternoon at Mains to think over the
evening's address, and left an impress of the human form on the bed
when they came down to tea, Mrs. Pitillo suggested that a sofa would be
an admirable addition to the study. As soon as this piece of
furniture, of a size suitable for his six feet, was pointed out to the
minister, he took fright, and became quite unmanageable. He would not
have such an article in his study on any account, partly because it
would only feed a tendency to sloth--which, he explained, was one of
his besetting sins--and partly because it would cu