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50 HEATHER AND SNOW

the same, and angert him; and syne he angert me.

" What for are ye tellin me noo ? "

" Cause it cam intil my held that maybe it would be better — no that it males ony dififer I can see."

During this conversation Marion was washing the supper-things, putting them away, and making general preparation for bed. She heard every word and went about her work softly that she might hear, never opening her mouth to speak.

" There's something ye want to tell me and dinna like, lassie! " said David. "Gien ye be feart at yer father, gang til yer mither. "

"Feart at my father! I would be, gien I had onything to be ashamet o'. Syne I micht gang to my mither, I daursay I dinna ken."

" Ye would that, lassie ! Fathers maun sometimes be fearsome to lass-bairns ! "

'Whan I'm feart at you, father, I'll be a gey bit on i' the ill gait!" returned Kirsty, with a solemn face, looking straight into her father's eyes.

"Than it'll never be, or I maun hae a heap to blame mysel for! I think whiles, gien bairns kenned the terrible wyte their fathers micht hae to dree for no doin better wi' them, they wud be mair particular to haud straucht. I hae been owre muckle taen up wi' my beasts and my craps — mair, God forgie me, than wi' my twa bairns; though, God kens, ye're mair to me, the twa, than oucht else save the mither o' ye!"

" The beasts and the craps cudna weel do wi' less: there was aye oor mither to see efter hiz ! "

"That's true, lassie! I only houp it wasna greed