To this no doubt was attached a shirt, but as there was no further sign of its presence, it could not have affected the aspect of things.

Although, however, this shirt-collar was no doubt the chief cause of the change of expression in the room, Alec, in the course of the evening, discovered further signs of improvement in the local morals; one, that the hearth had been cleared of a great heap of ashes, and now looked modest and moderate as if belonging to an old maid's cottage, instead of an old bachelor's garret; and another, that, upon the untidy table, lay an open book of divinity, a volume of Gurnall's _Christian Armour_ namely, which I fear Mr Cupples had chosen more for its wit than its devotion.

While making these discoveries, Alec chanced to observe--he was quick-eyed--that some of the dusty papers on the table were scrawled over with the first amorphous appearance of metrical composition.

These moved his curiosity; for what kind of poetry could the most unpoetic-looking Mr Cupples produce from that great head of his with the lanky colourless hair ?--But meantime we must return to the commencement of the interview.
"Ony mair Greek, laddie ?" asked Mr Cupples.
"No, thank you, sir," answered Alec.

"I only came to see you.