“How could I tell ye that, sir,” answered Peggy, with a look of true Scotch complacency, “when the bairns werena christened?” The writer, acute as he was, was a little put out, but he rallied. “Why, Peggy, you surely understand what I mean; did you not know the child which was afterwards called Sarah from that which was afterwards called Martha?” “I would have liked to have seen you try that, sir,” was again the answer. “How the deil--I beg pardon, sir--was I to ken what they were to be ca’ed when their names werena even fixed by the father and mother themselves?” “I see you don’t understand me, Mrs Macintosh,” continued Mr Bayne, who had got a Scotch witness on his line. “I think it’s you that doesna understand me,” retorted Peggy. “Look here,” continued Mr Bayne, smiling, “you know Sarah Bruce and Martha Bruce?” “Ay, when they’re thegither,” replied Peggy, “and they tell me their names; but just put them an ell or twa asinder, and I’ll defy the horned Clootie himsel to say which is which.” “Worse and worse,” muttered the writer. “Look you, Peggy, was there no mark on either of the children by which you could know it?” “Ay was there,” replied the woman; “but we’re just where we were; for, whether the strawberry was upon the ane or the ither, or the ither or the ane, is just what I want you, since you’re a man o’ the law, and weel skilled in kittle points, to tell me.” “Worse even yet,” muttered the discomfited precognoscer. “But I can mak the thing as plain as the Shorter Catechism,” continued she, with a sharp look, which revived the sinking hopes of Mr Bayne. “Mrs Glennie that night was in a terrible fluster, for she began to see that there was likely to be mair bairns than she bargained for--twins, if no may be trins; so Jean Gilchrist was brought up to help in addition to mysel. Then the first are cam’ in a hurry, the mair by token it kenned naething o’ the warld it was coming into, and Mrs Glennie pushed it into my hands. ‘There will be anither, Peggy,’ said she, ‘and look gleg;’ but there was only flannel for ane; and I gave the wean to Jean to wash, while I ran to get happins. I was back in less than five minutes; and, just as I was entering, ‘Here’s the other ane,’ said Mrs Glennie. I took it frae her, and gave it to Jean, and took frae her the ane she had washed, in order to wrap it, and so I did; but before I was dune I saw Jean wasna doing the thing as she ought; so I gave her the ane I had, and I took hers to wash it better; but before it was dune Mrs Glennie cried to me to come to help her with the lady; so I put my bairn into Jean’s arms alang side o’ the ither; and when I had finished with the lady I took the last ane frae Jean again; but before I had completed the dressing o’t Jean cried out, ‘This bairn is deein’.’ ‘You’re a fule,’ said I, ‘give it to me;’ and so she did. Then I ran and got some cordial, and poured it down the throat o’ the creature. By this time Jean had hers upon the settee, and