f
trade, turning night intil day, and working like moudiewarts in the dark,
when decent folks are in their beds sleeping.--And so, as I was saying,
ye see, it happened ae Sunday night that a chap cam to the back door; and
the mistress too heard it. She was sitting in the foreroom wi' her specs
on, reading some sermon book; but it was the maid that answered.

"In a while thereafter, she rang her bell, being a curious body, and aye
anxious to ken a' thing of her ain affairs, let alane her neighbours; so,
after waiting a wee, she rang again,--and better rang; then lifting up
her stick, for she was stiff with the rheumaticks and decay of nature,
she hirpled into the kitchen,--but feint a hait saw she there, save the
open Bible lying on the table, the cat streekit out before the fire, and
the candle burning--the candle--na, I daur say I am wrang there, I
believe it was a lamp, for she was a near ane. As for her maiden, there
was no trace of her."

"What do ye think came owre her then?" said I to him, liking to be at my
wits' end. "Naething uncanny, I daur say?"

"Ye'll hear in a moment," answered Tammie, "a' that I ken o' the matter.
Ye see--as I asked ye before--yon trees on the hill-head to the eastward;
just below yon black cloud yonder?"

"Preceesely," said I--"I see them well enough."

"Weel, after a' thochts of finding her were gi'en up, and it was fairly
concluded, that it was the auld gudeman that had come and chappit her
out, she was fund in a pond among yon trees, floating on her back, wi'
her Sunday's claes on!!"

"Drowned?" said I to him.

"Drowned--and as stiff as a deal board," answered Tammie. "But when she
was drowned--or how she came to be drowned--or who it was drowned her--has
never been found out to this blessed moment."

"Maybe," said I, lending in my word--"maybe she had grown demented, and
thrown herself in i' the dark."

"Or maybe," said Tammie, "the de'il flew away wi' her in a flash o' fire;
and, soosing her down frae the lift, she landit in that hole, where she
was fund floating. But--wo!--wo!" cried he to his horse, coming across
its side with his whip--"We maun be canny; for this brig has a sharp
turn, (it was the Cow Brig, ye know,) and many a one, both horse and man,
have got their necks broken, by not being wary enough of that corner."

This made me a thought timorous, having the bit laddie Benjie fast asleep
in my arms; and as I saw that Tammie's horse was a wee fidgety; and g