"It was one of the soldiers," Babbie said, "who told me about her. He said Mr. Dishart introduced her to him." "Sojers!" cried Nanny. "I could never thole the name o' them. Sanders in his young days hankered after joining them, and so he would, if it hadna been for the fechting. Ay, and now they've ta'en him awa to the gaol, and sworn lies about him. Dinna put any faith in sojers, lassie." "I was told," Babbie went on, "that the minister's wife was rather like me." "Heaven forbid!" ejaculated Nanny, so fervently that all three suddenly sat back from the table. "I'm no meaning," Nanny continued hurriedly, fearing to offend her benefactress, "but what you're the bonniest tid I ever saw out o' an almanack. But you would ken Mr. Dishart's contempt for bonny faces if you had heard his sermon against them. I didna hear it mysel', for I'm no Auld Licht, but it did the work o' the town for an aucht days." If Nanny had not taken her eyes off Gavin for the moment she would have known that he was now anxious to change the topic. Babbie saw it, and became suspicious. "When did he preach against the wiles of women, Nanny?" "It was long ago," said Gavin, hastily. "No so very lang syne," corrected Nanny. "It was the Sabbath after the sojers was in Thrums; the day you changed your text so hurriedly. Some thocht you wasna weel, but Lang Tammas--" "Thomas Whamond is too officious," Gavin said with dignity. "I forbid you, Nanny, to repeat his story." "But what made you change your text?" asked Babbie. "You see he winna tell," Nanny said, wistfully. "Ay, I dinna deny but what I would like richt to ken. But the session's as puzzled as yoursel', Babbie." "Perhaps more puzzled," answered the Egyptian, with a smile that challenged Gavin's frowns to combat and overthrow them. "What surprises me, Mr. Dishart, is that such a great man can stoop to see whether women are pretty or not. It was very good of you to remember me to-day. I suppose you recognized me by my frock?" "By your face," he replied, boldly; "by your eyes." "Nanny," exclaimed the Egyptian, "did you hear what the minister said?" "Woe is me," answered Nanny, "I missed it." "He says he would know me anywhere by my eyes." "So would I mysel'," said Nanny. "Then what colour are they, Mr. Dishart?" demanded Babbie. "Don't speak, Nanny, for I want to expose him." She closed her eyes tightly. Gavin was in a quandary. I suppose he had looked at her eyes too long to know much about them. "Blue," he guessed at last. "Na, they're black," said Nanny, who had doubtless known this for an hour. I am always marvelling over the cleverness of women, as every one must see who reads this story. "No but what they micht be blue in some lichts," Nanny added, out of respect to the minister.