gement of the latch, lifted it, and Mr. Twitt entered,
his rubicund face one broad smile.

"'Afternoon, David! 'Afternoon, Mister! Wheer's Mis' Deane?"

"She's resting a bit in her room," replied Helmsley.

"Ah, well! You can tell 'er the news when she comes in. Mr. Arbroath's
away for 'is life wi' old Nick in full chase arter 'im! It don't do
t'ave a fav'rite gel!"

Helmsley and Reay stared at him, and then at one another.

"Why, what's up?" demanded Reay.

"Oh, nuthin' much!" and Twitt's broad shoulders shook with internal
laughter. "It's wot 'appens often in the fam'lies o' the haris-to-crazy,
an' aint taken no notice of, forbye 'tis not so common among poor folk.
Ye see Mr. Arbroath he--he--he--he--he--he----" and here the pronoun
"he" developed into a long chuckle. "He's got a sweet'art on the sly,
an'--an'--an'--_'is wife's found it out_! Ha-ha-ha-he-he-he! 'Is wife's
found it out! That's the trouble! An' she's gone an' writ to the Bishop
'erself! Oh lor'! Never trust a woman wi' cat's eyes! She's writ to the
Bishop, an' gone 'ome in a tearin' fit o' the rantin' 'igh-strikes,--an'
Mister Arbroath 'e's follerd 'er, an' left us wi' a curate--a 'armless
little chap wi' a bad cold in 'is 'ed, an' a powerful red nose--but
'onest an' 'omely like 'is own face. An' 'e'll take the services till
our own vicar comes 'ome, which'll be, please God, this day fort_night_.
But oh lor'!--to think o' that grey-'aired rascal Arbroath with a
fav'rite gel on the sly! Ha-ha-ha-he-he-he! We'se be all mortal!" and
Twitt shook his head with profound solemnity. "Ef I was a-goin' to carve
a tombstone for that 'oly 'igh Churchman, I'd write on it the old
'ackneyed sayin', 'Man wants but little 'ere below, Nor wants that
little long!' Ha-ha-ha-he-he-he!"

His round jolly face beamed with merriment, and Angus Reay caught
infection from his mirth and laughed heartily.

"Twitt, you're an old rascal!" he exclaimed. "I really believe you enjoy
showing up Mr. Arbroath's little weaknesses!"

"Not I--not I, Mister!" protested Twitt, his eyes twinkling. "I sez, be
fair to all men! I sez, if a parson wants to chuck a gel under the chin,
let 'im do so by all means, God willin'! But don't let 'im purtend as 'e
_couldn't_ chuck 'er under the chin for the hull world! Don't let 'im go
round lookin' as if 'e was vinegar gone bad, an' preach at the parish as
if we was all mis'able sinners while 'e's the mis'ablest one hisself.
But old Arbroath--damm