Those who had been making ready to depart swung round again, and the minister told him if he had anything to say to speak out.
"It's a paper," Tommy said, nervous yet elated, and addressing all, "that Grizel put in the coffin.

She told me to tell you about it when the cords fell on the lid." "What sort of a paper ?" asked Mr.Dishart, frowning.
"It's--it's a letter to God," Tommy gasped.
Nothing was to be heard except the shovelling of earth into the grave.
"Hold your spade, John," the minister said to the gravedigger, and then even that sound stopped.

"Go on," Mr.Dishart signed to the boy.
"Grizel doesna believe her mother has much chance of getting to heaven," Tommy said, "and she wrote the letter to God, so that when he opens the coffins on the last day he will find it and read about them." "About whom ?" asked the stern minister.
"About Grizel's father, for one.

She doesna know his name, but the Painted Lady wore a locket wi' a picture of him on her breast, and it's buried wi' her, and Grizel told God to look at it so as to know him.

She thinks her mother will be damned for having her, and that it winna be fair unless God damns her father too." "Go on," said Mr.Dishart.
"There was three Thrums men--I think they were gentlemen--" Tommy continued, almost blithely, "that used to visit the Painted Lady in the night time afore she took ill.