Page:Zodiac stories by Blanche Mary Channing.pdf/143

126 "Noo ye see what ye hae done," she cried; "read that!"

Mr. McAllister took the paper and stared at it blankly.

"What does this mean?" he asked with a pale face, his hand shaking.

"What does it mean?" repeated Eppie fiercely. "It means ye hae driven the poor bairns to run fro' ye, wi' your harryin' them this way and that way—What else? Keepin' them in their bed-chamber a' Sabbath because they sleepit a bit in kirk, an' no givin' them enough to eat, the poor wee laddies! Think shame to yersel', Minister!"

Mr. McAllister looked at Eppie in amazed silence; never had she so addressed him before.

"I will allow no such talk as this, my woman," he said sternly, "but if ye have any sense in your head, tell me if the lads had said aught to show they had an idea of this beforehand."