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The Little Minister: Babbie

The happy Nanny persuaded the minister to stay for tea. That tea-drinking bewitched the little minister, for the fascinating Babbie teased him--and he liked it.

Babbie brought him the money to Caddam Woods next day, and gave Gavin a holly spray that he secretly treasured. Again and again he was drawn to Nanny's cottage, where Babbie frequently came, and he didn't understand at first that he was in love with the mysterious girl with her many caprices--all of which charmed him. He little knew that Rob Dow had discovered him with Babbie in their trysts, and wondered why Rob avoided him and was drinking again. Rob's greatest fear was that the kirk elders should learn of the Egyptian and the minister and stone him out of Thrums.

One night Babbie flashed a lantern in at the manse window to attract Gavin's attention. He waited breathlessly till the manse was quiet in slumber, then stole out to meet Babbie at the summer seat. There in the darkness Gavin kissed her, and Babbie realized for the first time his love for her. She had been playing with him, and felt ashamed. She wanted to run away, and she wanted to stay and have him put his kiss into words. But it was late, and it was that night as Gavin took her back to Nanny's that I saw them together for the first time.

Love dawned in Babbie's heart that night, and all the world looked new to her, and she longed for Gavin to come. Then she met Rob Dow's little son weeping bitterly, who told her of what sorrow the "wooman who'd bewitched the meenister" would bring every one, and Babbie, touched to the heart, went away. Months passed, and the little minister looked in vain for her. Then came the 4th of August, the eve of Lord Rintoul's marriage, an old earl staying at the Spittal, whose bride was reported as young and bonny. But nearly all of Thrums were concerned over the long drought that had become a calamity, and that night there was to be a special prayer-meeting for rain. Then suddenly Babbie came to me in the school-house, saying that Gavin had been killed by a drunken Highland piper. It was not true--a rumor, but I found Gavin, and told him where he would find Babbie, though I felt I was doing wrong.