mother's door.

'Gang to the ga'le o' the hoose there, Shargar, and jist keek roon' the
neuk at me; and gin I whustle upo' ye, come up as quaiet 's ye can. Gin
I dinna, bide till I come to ye.'

Robert opened the door cautiously. It was never locked except at night,
or when Betty had gone to the well for water, or to the butcher's or
baker's, or the prayer-meeting, upon which occasions she put the key
in her pocket, and left her mistress a prisoner. He looked first to the
right, along the passage, and saw that his grandmother's door was shut;
then across the passage to the left, and saw that the kitchen door was
likewise shut, because of the cold, for its normal position was against
the wall. Thereupon, closing the door, but keeping the handle in his
hand, and the bolt drawn back, he turned to the street and whistled soft
and low. Shargar had, in a moment, dragged his heavy feet, ready to part
company with their shoes at any instant, to Robert's side. He bent his
ear to Robert's whisper.

'Gang in there, and creep like a moose to the fit o' the stair. I maun
close the door ahin' 's,' said he, opening the door as he spoke.

'I'm fleyt (frightened), Robert.'

'Dinna be a fule. Grannie winna bite aff yer heid. She had ane till her
denner, the day, an' it was ill sung (singed).'

'What ane o'?'

'A sheep's heid, ye gowk (fool). Gang in direckly.'

Shargar persisted no longer, but, taking about four steps a minute,
slunk past the kitchen like a thief--not so carefully, however, but
that one of his soles yet looser than the other gave one clap upon the
flagged passage, when Betty straightway stood in the kitchen door, a
fierce picture in a deal frame. By this time Robert had closed the outer
door, and was following at Shargar's heels.

'What's this?' she cried, but not so loud as to reach the ears of Mrs.
Falconer; for, with true Scotch foresight, she would not willingly call
in another power before the situation clearly demanded it. 'Whaur's
Shargar gaein' that gait?'

'Wi' me. Dinna ye see me wi' him? I'm nae a thief, nor yet's Shargar.'

'There may be twa opingons upo' that, Robert. I s' jist awa' benn to the
mistress. I s' hae nae sic doin's i' my hoose.'

'It's nae your hoose, Betty. Dinna lee.'

'Weel, I s' hae nae sic things gang by my kitchie door. There, Robert!
what 'll ye mak' o' that? There's nae offence, there, I houp, gin it
suldna be a'thegither my ain hoose. Tak Shargar oot o' that, or I s'
awa