'And if Tibbie is not your informant, pray is it the daughter? And what corroborating evidence can she show? I wonder you would lend so ready an ear to the assertions of a designing quean, whose conduct, by her own confession, has shaken her claim to credit.' 'Oh you men! you are all hard alike, and scornful, when a weak woman is the sufferer--is that your manliness? But it was not the girl who confessed to me. I venture to think that not the most impudent would come to _me_ with such a tale. I trust my character as a virtuous matron stands high enough to save me from contamination such as that.' 'No doubt, my dear--I should not like to be in her shoes, at any rate, if she did venture so far--your virtue would be too much for her--and would not spare her.' 'I hope not, Mr. Sangster! Though you say it as though it were a disparagement. The evidence is all circumstantial, as it must necessarily be, in a case of secret sin and hypocrisy; but it fits so well together, and is so conclusive, I have no doubt whatever in the matter. Less has hung a man before now; but then that was in cases of sheep stealing--a very different affair. Sheep are property, and you men are keen enough where that is concerned. This is a case of souls, and till women and ministers get a voice in your law-making, there's little justice to be looked for.' 'The Lord grant I may be removed before that day arrives. The women and the ministers ride us roughly enough at home, but when it comes to making our laws, and governing us publicly I hope I shall be away--But, to return to our mutton--not the sheep-stealing, but the matter in hand--what is your circumstantial evidence? And where did you hear it?' 'The most startling circumstances, as far as I can recollect them at present, are, that it was on that dark night of the storm, that the girl returned home after a long and unexplained absence. That same night, as I am informed, in the dark and storm, when nobody could see him, he stole away, and the next morning brought in the child. Observe the coincidence. Then there was the conduct of the girl at the child's baptism. It was quite startling as described to me. So like the workings of an awakened conscience! And the unwillingness she showed to look at the destroyer of her peace. She actually rose and left the meeting before he stood up to offer the child for baptism. As I was not an eye-witness of that, however, I cannot express it so strongly to you as it was impressed on me. Then he has been seen coming out of the Tirpie cottage, after dark. Oh! repeatedly! And he has been giving them large sums of money. The old woman has carried pounds of it into the village, and it is known that no people about here pass notes of the Peterhead bank except the Browns. Now! what do you say to all that, James Sangster?' 'Nothing, my dear, at present. Who told you it all?'