Jock and Mrs. Craigie were at the window, a second story one, criticising the passers-by to church, as one has seen the loungers at a club window do the ordinary passers-by on week-days. The Sergeant and his wife, with Mary following them, suddenly attracted their attention. "The auld hypocrite!" exclaimed Mrs. Craigie; "there he gangs, as prood as a peacock, haudin’ his head up when it should be bowed doon wi’ shame to the dust! An’ his wife, tae!--eh! what a ban net! sic a goon! Sirs me! Baith are the waur o’ the wear. Ha! ha! ha! And Mary! as I declare, wi’ new shoon, a new bannet, and new shawl! The impudent hizzy that she is! It’s a’ to spite me, for I see’d her keekin’ up to the window. But stealt bairns can come to nae guid; confoond them a’!--though I shouldna say’t on the Sabbath day." Hall stood behind her, and watched the group over her shoulder. "Ye’re richt, Luckie," he said, "he _is_ an auld hypocrite. But they are a’ that--like minister, like man. ’Confoond them,’ _ye_ say; ’Amen’, _I_ say; but what d’ye mean by stealt bairns?" Ah, Jock, art thou not also a hypocrite! Mrs. Craigie had left the window, and sat down beside the fire, the church-goers having passed, and the church bell having ceased to ring. Jock then lighted his pipe opposite Mrs. Craigie. "What d’ye mean," he asked again, "by stealt bairns?" "I mean this," replied she, "that yon auld hypocrite, sodger, and poacher, Adam Mercer, stealt Mary Semple frae me!" and she looked at Hall with an expression which said, "What do ye think of that?" Then having been invited by Hall to tell him all about the theft, she did so, continuing her narrative up to the moment when she was ordered out of the house by Adam; saying now as on that occasion, "But I hae freen’s, and I’ll pit Smellie to smash him yet! I’ll get my revenge oot o’ him, the auld bitin’ brock that he is. Smellie is my freen, and he has mair power, far, than Adam wi’ the minister." So thought Mrs. Craigie. "Is Smellie yer freen’?" asked Hall, without taking his pipe out of his mouth, "and does _he_ hate Adam? and does _he_ want Mary back tae you?" "That does he," replied Mrs. Craigie; "and he wad gie onything to get Mary back tae me?" "Then, my certes, Smellie _has_ pooer! nae doot o’ _that_," remarked Hall, with a grim smile; "for he has helpit to pit me mony a time into the jail. Wad it obleege him muckle tae get Mary back frae the Sergeant? Wad he befreen’ me if I helped him?" asked Jock confidentially. "It wad be a real treat till him!" exclaimed Mrs. Craigie; "and he wad befreen’ ye a’ yer life! An’, Hall----" "But," asked Jock, interrupting her, "what did ye say aboot poachin’? Was Adam in that line?" "Him!" exclaimed Mrs. Craigie; "I’se warrant he was--notorious!" "Hoo d’ye ken?" inquired Jock.