, puttin' yersel in sic a state. Ye'll be ill
when he comes."

"Na, am no in nae state, Leeby, but there'll no be nae accident, will
there?"

"It's most provokin' 'at ye will think 'at every time Jamie steps into
a machine there'll be an accident. Am sure if ye would tak mair after
my father, it would be a blessin'. Look hoo cool he is."

"Whaur is he, Leeby?"

"Oh, I dinna ken. The henmost time I saw him he was layin' doon the
law aboot something to T'nowhead."

"It's an awfu' wy that he has o' ga'en oot withoot a word. I wouldna
wonder 'at he's no bein' in time to meet Jamie, an' that would be a
pretty business."

"Od, ye're sure he'll be in braw time."

"But he hasna ta'en the barrow wi' him, an' hoo is Jamie's luggage to
be brocht up withoot a barrow?"

"Barrow! He took the barrow to the saw-mill an hour syne to pick it up
at Rob Angus's on the wy."

Several times Jess was sure she saw the cart in the distance, and
implored us to be off.

"I'll tak no settle till ye're awa," she said, her face now flushed and
her hands working nervously.

"We've time to gang and come twa or three times yet," remonstrated
Leeby; but Jess gave me so beseeching a look that I put on my hat.
Then Hendry dandered in to change his coat deliberately, and when the
three of us set off, we left Jess with her eye on the door by which
Jamie must enter. He was her only son now, and she had not seen him
for a year.

On the way down the commonty, Leeby had the honour of being twice
addressed as Miss McQumpha, but her father was Hendry to all, which
shows that we make our social position for ourselves. Hendry looked
forward to Jamie's annual appearance only a little less hungrily than
Jess, but his pulse still beat regularly. Leeby would have considered
it almost wicked to talk of anything except Jamie now, but Hendry cried
out comments on the tatties, yesterday's roup, the fall in jute, to
everybody he encountered. When he and a crony had their say and
parted, it was their custom to continue the conversation in shouts
until they were out of hearing.

Only to Jess at her window was the cart late that afternoon. Jamie
jumped from it in the long great-coat that had been new to Thrums the
year before, and Hendry said calmly--

"Ay, Jamie."

Leeby and Jamie made signs that they recognized each other as brother
and sister, but I was the only one with whom he shook hands. He was
smart in his movements and quite the gentle