“Ay,” replied the other woman stealing along the wall to the doorway of the older woman, and slipping inside as if she were afraid of being detected.  “It’s a hell o’ a business when blackguards cast oot.”

“Wheest, Annie, dinna swear,” remonstrated the old woman.  “I dinna like to hear folk swearin’ at a’.  I wonner the Lord disna open the grun’ to swallow the half o’ the folk noo-a-days; for I never heard sic swearin’ a’ my life.”

“Och, there’s nae harm meant,” returned Annie, taken aback by the old woman’s admonition.  “It’s jist a habit that folk get into an’ they canna help it.  But listen to her,” she broke off, alluding to Mag Robertson again.  “She micht think shame o’ hersel’, the shameless lump that she is.  She’d hae been faur better to hae keepit her mouth shut, Phemie.”

“That’s true, Annie,” replied Phemie.  “Listen to her.  My, she’s no’ canny an’ she’s fairly givin’ him a bellyfu’.  But they’re a’ yae swine’s pick an’ no’ yin o’ them decent.  I wadna be in her shoon for a’ the money that ever was made in Lowwood.  She micht hae kent hoo it wad end.  Hark at her.  My, but it’s awfu’.”

“Keep in, Annie,” Phemie admonished as they both craned their necks to look up the row as she saw Walker turning to face Mag.  “Dinna let him see you or your man will get the sack.  My! but she’s layin’ it in tae’ him.  What a tongue.”

“Lord bless us!  He’s strucken her, Phemie,” said Annie, clutching her neighbor’s shoulder as she spoke.  “My, he’s gaen her an awfu’ blow on the mouth an’ knocket her doon.  Come inside for as sure as daith it’ll end in a coort case, an’ I’m no wanting to be mixed up in it,” and they went inside and shut the door, looking at each other with frightened eyes.  Then Annie, stealing to the window and lifting the curtain a little at the side, gazed sideways up the row, reporting to Phemie everything that happened.

“He’s kicking her, Phemie.  Eh, the muckle beast that he is.  My God, he’ll kill her afore he’s finished wi’ her.  He’s hitting her on the face every time she tries to rise an’ gaein’ her anither kick aye when she fa’s doon again.  Oh! my God, will naebody interfere.  He’ll kill her as sure as death,” and she stepped back with blanched face sickened at the spectacle she had described.

“Here she comes, Annie,” said her neighbor after a few moments.  “My! what a face.  Dinna look you at her,” cried Phemie in alarm pushing back Annie who had moved near to the window to get a better view.  “In God’s name, woman, dinna you look at her.  You shouldna ha’ looked at onything that has taken place.  If onything is wrang wi’ your bairn when it is born I’ll never forgi’e’ mysel’ for lettin’ you look at this business at a’.  Gang awa’ back an’ sit down an’ try an’ forget a’ aboot what you hae seen.  Dinna look up till she gangs back intae the hoose,” and the old woman kept Annie sitting back at the bedside in the corner farthest from the window until Mag staggered to her home, her face streaming with blood.