“That maks the thing luik waur, nae doobt,” allowed Lizzy, with something of cunning. “Hoo was ’t ’at he cam to du ’t ava’ (_of all; at all_), sir? Can ye min’?” she pursued. “I discharged him.” “An’ what for, gien I may mak bold to speir, sir?” she went on. “For insolence.” “Wad ye tell me hoo he answert ye? Dinna think me meddlin’, sir. I’m clear certain there’s been some mistak. Ye cudna be sae guid to me, an’ be ill to him, ohn some mistak.” It was consoling to the conscience of the factor, in regard of his behaviour to the two women, to hear his own praise for kindness from a woman’s lips. He took no offence therefore at her persistent questioning, but told her as well and as truly as he could remember, with no more than the all but unavoidable exaggeration with which feeling _will_ colour fact, the whole passage between Malcolm and himself concerning the sale of Kelpie, and closed with an appeal to the judgment of his listener, in which he confidently anticipated her verdict. “A most ridic’lous thing! ye can see yersel’ as weel ’s onybody, Lizzy! An’ sic a thing to ca’ an honest man like mysel’ a hypocrete for! ha! ha! ha! There’s no a bairn ’atween John o’ Groat’s an’ the Lan’s En’ disna ken ’at the seller o’ a horse is b’un’ to reese (_extol_) him, an’ the buyer to tak care o’ himsel’. I’ll no say it’s jist allooable to tell a doonricht lee, but ye may come full nearer till ’t in horse-dealin’, ohn sinned, nor in ony ither kin’ o’ merchandeze. It’s like luve an’ war, in baith which, it’s weel kenned, a’ thing’s fair. The saw sud rin--_Luve an’ war an’ horse dealin’_.--Divna ye see, Lizzy?” But Lizzy did not answer, and the factor, hearing a stifled sob, started to his elbow. “Lie still, sir,” said Lizzy. “It’s naething. I was only jist thinkin’ ’at that wad be the w’y ’at the father o’ my bairn rizoned wi’ himsel’ whan he lee’d to me.” “Hey!” said the astonished factor, and in his turn held his peace, trying to think. Now Lizzy, for the last few months, had been going to school, the same school with Malcolm, open to all comers, the only school where one is sure to be led in the direction of wisdom, and there she had been learning to some purpose--as plainly appeared before she had done with the factor. “Whase kirk are ye elder o’, Maister Craithie?” she asked presently. “Ow, the kirk o’ Scotlan’, of coorse!” answered the patient, in some surprise at her ignorance. “Ay, ay,” returned Lizzy; “but whase aucht (_owning, property_) is ’t?” “Ow, whase but the Redeemer’s!” “An’ div ye think, Mr Craithie, ’at gien Jesus Christ had had a horse to sell, he wad ha’e hidden frae him ’at wad buy, ae hair a fau’t ’at the beast hed? Wad he no ha’e dune till ’s neiper as he wad ha’e his neiper du to him?” “Lassie! lassie! tak care hoo ye even _him_ to sic like as hiz (_us_). What wad _he_ hae to du wi’ horse-flesh?”