“I could see she’s no pleased, though he has found a wy,” he said.

“What pleasure should she be able to sook out o’ his keeping ding-ding-danging on about that woman?” retorted Gavinia.

“What woman?”

“The London besom that gae him the go-by.”

“Was there sic a woman!” Corp cried.

“Of course there was, and it’s her that he’s aye writing about.”

“Havers, Gavinia!  It’s Grizel he’s aye writing about, and it was Grizel that gae him the go-by.  It’s town talk.”

But whatever the town might say, Gavinia stuck to her opinion.  “Grizel’s no near so neat in her dressing as she was,” she informed Corp, “and her hair is no aye tidy, and that bonnet she was in yesterday didna set her.”

“I’ve noticed it,” cried Corp.  “I’ve noticed it this while back, though I didna ken I had noticed it, Gavinia.  I wonder what can be the reason?”

“It’s because nobody cares,” Gavinia replied sadly.  Trust one woman to know another!

“We a’ care,” said Corp, stoutly.

“We’re a’ as nothing, Corp, when he doesna care.  She’s fond o’ him, man.”

“Of course she is, in a wy.  Whaur’s the woman that could help it?”

“There’s many a woman that could help it,” said Gavinia, tartly, for the honour of her sex, “but she’s no are o’ them.”  To be candid, Gavinia was not one of them herself.  “I’m thinking she’s terrible fond o’ him,” she said, “and I’m nain sure that he has treated her weel.”

“Woman, take care; say a word agin him and I’ll mittle you!” Corp thundered, and she desisted in fear.

But he made her re-read the little essay to him in instalments, and at the end he said victoriously, “You blethering crittur, there’s no sic woman.  It’s just another o’ his ploys!”

He marched upstairs to Grizel with the news, and she listened kindly.  “I am sure you are right,” she said; “you understand him better than any of them, Corp,” and it was true.

He thought he had settled the whole matter.  He was burning to be downstairs to tell Gavinia that these things needed only a man.  “And so you’ll be yoursel’ again, Grizel,” he said, with great relief.

She had not seen that he was aiming at her until now, and it touched her.  “Am I so different, Corp?”

Not at all, he assured her delicately, but she was maybe no quite so neatly dressed as she used to be, and her hair wasna braided back so smooth, and he didna think that bonnet quite set her.

“Gavinia has been saying that to you!”

“I noticed it mysel’, Grizel; I’m a terrible noticher.”

“Perhaps you are right,” she said, reflecting, after looking at herself for the first time for some days.  “But to think of your caring, Corp!”

“I care most michty,” he replied, with terrific earnestness.

“I must try to satisfy you, then,” she said, smiling.  “But, Corp, please don’t discuss me with Gavinia.”