"Because you're so bonny," Micah whispered across the dyke. Her tears gave him courage. "You micht gang awa," he entreated. "If you kent what a differ Mr. Dishart made in my father till you came, you would maybe gang awa. When he's roaring fou I have to sleep in the wood, and it's awfu' cauld. I'm doubting he'll kill me, woman, if you dinna gang awa." Poor Babbie put her hand to her heart, but the innocent lad continued mercilessly-- "If ony shame comes to the minister, his auld mither'll die. How have you sic an ill will at the minister?" Babbie held up her hands like a supplicant. "I'll gie you my rabbit," Micah said, "if you'll gang awa. I've juist the ane." She shook her head, and, misunderstanding her, he cried, with his knuckles in his eye, "I'll gie you them baith, though I'm michty sweer to part wi' Spotty." Then at last Babbie found her voice. "Keep your rabbits, laddie," she said, "and greet no more. I'm gaen awa." "And you'll never come back no more a' your life?" pleaded Micah. "Never no more a' my life," repeated Babbie. "And ye'll leave the minister alane for ever and ever?" "For ever and ever." Micah rubbed his face dry, and said, "Will you let me stand on the Standing Stane and watch you gaen awa for ever and ever?" At that a sob broke from Babbie's heart, and looking at her doubtfully Micah said-- "Maybe you're gey ill for what you've done?" "Ay," Babbie answered, "I'm gey ill for what I've done." A minute passed, and in her anguish she did not know that still she was standing at the dyke. Micah's voice roused her: "You said you would gang awa, and you're no gaen." Then Babbie went away. The boy watched her across the hill. He climbed the Standing Stone and gazed after her until she was but a coloured ribbon among the broom. When she disappeared into Windyghoul he ran home joyfully, and told his father what a good day's work he had done. Rob struck him for a fool for taking a gypsy's word, and warned him against speaking of the woman in Thrums. [Illustration: "ROB STRUCK HIM FOR A FOOL FOR TAKING A GYPSY'S WORD."] But though Dow believed that Gavin continued to meet the Egyptian secretly, he was wrong. A sum of money for Nanny was sent to the minister, but he could guess only from whom it came. In vain did he search for Babbie. Some months passed and he gave up the search, persuaded that he should see her no more. He went about his duties with a drawn face that made many folk uneasy when it was stern, and pained them when it tried to smile. But to Margaret, though the effort was terrible, he was as he had ever been, and so no thought of a woman crossed her loving breast. Chapter Twenty-Five. BEGINNING OF THE TWENTY-FOUR HOURS.