contented labourer after an honest day's work.

Jeannette ran her hand over the plastic wrapping, feeling its smoothness.

"Skin like a newborn!" she said, wondering.

"Can you get it off?" asked Duncan, "There might be a fine flesh inside?"

Jeanette picked at the plastic until she caught a corner. She followed the cut edge along the length of the roll and peeled it back. Before a minute had passed, she had the plastic sheet off and hanging from her fingers.

'That be no fish," said Duncan, "I know the look 'o paper. That be a parchment of the priest!"

Jeanette folded the plastic carefully and put it on the solid, hand-made table beside her bowl.

"We must be very careful with this," said Duncan, "The priests will be wanting it back. One of them must 'a dropped it on his way through here."

"There be no priest come this ways today?"

"Then maybe it be a stolen parchment, and the thief done up and dropped it?"

"I seen no thief a running this ways today?"

"Then where did the writing come from, tell me that wife?"

"The Lord knows I have no idea!" said Jeanette, flustered.

Duncan put his iron spoon down and held the newspaper close to his eyes.

"If it be no priests, and it come from no thief, then we may be permitted to look at it ourselves!"

Jeanette suddenly looked worried.

"But it might be from the devil," she said anxiously.

"Consarn you woman! We are no saints! What would the devil be going about tempting us for, tell me that?"

Jeanette could think of no reason, so Duncan shook the newspaper open and held it before his face. He had learned some letters, so he was able to read a portion of me words.

"The Her ald," he said, as a five year old might, "To