“In love,” answered Chirsty, boldly.

“Now we ken what he was doing in the country yestreen,” said Snecky Hobart, “the which has been, bothering us sair.”

“The manse is fu’ o’ the flowers she sends him,” said Tibbie Craik.  “Jean’s at her wits’-end to ken whaur to put them a’.”

“Wha is she?”

It was Rob Dow who spoke.  All saw he had been drinking, or they might have wondered at his vehemence.  As it was, everybody looked at every other body, and then everybody sighed.

“Ay, wha is she?” repeated several.

“I see you ken nothing about her,” said Rob, much relieved; and he then lapsed into silence.

“We ken a’ about her,” said Snecky, “except just wha she is.  Ay, that’s what we canna bottom.  Maybe you could guess, Tammas?”

“Maybe I could, Sneck,” Haggart replied, cautiously; “but on that point I offer no opinion.”

“If she bides on the Kaims road,” said Tibbie Craik, “she maun be a farmer’s dochter.  What say you to Bell Finlay?”

“Na; she’s U. P. But it micht be Loups o’ Malcolm’s sister.  She’s promised to Muckle Haws; but no doubt she would gie him the go-by at a word frae the minister.”

“It’s mair likely,” said Chirsty, “to be the factor at the Spittal’s lassie.  The factor has a grand garden, and that would account for such basketfuls o’ flowers.”

“Whaever she is,” said Birse, “I’m thinking he could hae done better.”

“I’ll be fine pleased wi’ ony o’ them,” said Tibbie, who had a magenta silk, and so was jealous of no one.

“It hasna been proved,” Haggart pointed out, “that the flowers came frae thae parts.  She may be sending them frae Glasgow.”

“I aye understood it was a Glasgow lady,” said Snecky.  “He’ll be like the Tilliedrum minister that got a lady to send him to the college on the promise that he would marry her as soon as he got a kirk.  She made him sign a paper.”

“The far-seeing limmer,” exclaimed Chirsty.  “But if that’s what Mr. Dishart has done, how has he kept it so secret?”

“He wouldna want the women o’ the congregation to ken he was promised till after they had voted for him.”

“I dinna haud wi’ that explanation o’t,” said Haggart, “but I may tell you that I ken for sure she’s a Glasgow leddy.  Lads, ministers is near aye bespoke afore they’re licensed.  There’s a michty competition for them in the big toons.  Ay, the leddies just stand at the college gates, as you may say, and snap them up as they come out.”

“And just as well for the ministers, I’se uphaud,” said Tibbie, “for it saves them a heap o’ persecution when they come to the like o’ Thrums.  There was Mr. Meiklejohn, the U. P. minister:  he was no sooner placed than every genteel woman in the town was persecuting him.  The Miss Dobies was the maist shameless; they fair hunted him.”

“Ay,” said Snecky; “and in the tail o’ the day ane o’ them snacked him up.  Billies, did you ever hear o’ a minister being refused?”