The woman's quietism and piety passed on to his different nature undiminished; but whereas in her it was a native sentiment, in him it was only an implanted dogma.

Nature and the child's pugnacity at times revolted.

A cad from the Potterrow once struck him in the mouth; he struck back, the pair fought it out in the back stable lane towards the Meadows, and Archie returned with a considerable decline in the number of his front teeth, and unregenerately boasting of the losses of the foe.

It was a sore day for Mrs.Weir; she wept and prayed over the infant backslider until my lord was due from Court, and she must resume that air of tremulous composure with which she always greeted him.
The judge was that day in an observant mood, and remarked upon the absent teeth.
"I am afraid Erchie will have been fechting with some of they blagyard lads," said Mrs.Weir.
My lord's voice rang out as it did seldom in the privacy of his own house.

"I'll have norm of that, sir!" he cried.