comes ye'll no
forget Leeby?"

"I winna, mother, I winna," said Jamie. "There'll never be a roof ower
me 'at's no hers too."

He went ben and shut the door. I do not know what he and Leeby said.
Many a time since their earliest youth had these two been closeted
together, often to make up their little quarrels in each other's arms.
They remained a long time in the room, the shabby room of which Jess
and Leeby were so proud, and whatever might be their fears about their
mother, they were not anxious for themselves. Leeby was feeling lusty
and well, and she could not know that Jamie required to be reminded of
his duty to the folk at home. Jamie would have laughed at the notion.
Yet that woman in London must have been waiting for him even then.
Leeby, who was about to die, and Jamie, who was to forget his mother,
came back to the kitchen with a happy light on their faces. I have
with me still the look of love they gave each other before Jamie
crossed over to Jess.

"Ye'll gang anower, noo, mother," Leeby said, meaning that it was
Jess's bed-time.

"No yet, Leeby," Jess answered, "I'll sit up till the readin's ower."

"I think ye should gang, mother," Jamie said, "an' I'll come an' sit
aside ye after ye're i' yer bed."

"Ay, Jamie, I'll no hae ye to sit aside me the morn's nicht, an' hap
(cover) me wi' the claes."

"But ye'll gang suner to yer bed, mother."

"I may gang, but I winna sleep. I'll aye be thinkin' o' ye tossin' on
the sea. I pray for ye a lang time ilka nicht, Jamie."

"Ay, I ken."

"An' I pictur ye ilka hour o' the day. Ye never gang hame through thae
terrible streets at nicht but I'm thinkin' o' ye."

"I would try no to be sae sad, mother," said Leeby. "We've ha'en a
richt fine time, have we no?"

"It's been an awfu' happy time," said Jess. "We've ha'en a
pleasantness in oor lives 'at comes to few. I ken naebody 'at's ha'en
sae muckle happiness one wy or another."

"It's because ye're sae guid, mother," said Jamie.

"Na, Jamie, am no guid ava. It's because my fowk's been sae guid, you
an' Hendry an' Leeby an' Joey when he was livin'. I've got a lot mair
than my deserts."

"We'll juist look to meetin' next year again, mother. To think o' that
keeps me up a' the winter."

"Ay, if it's the Lord's will, Jamie, but am gey dune noo, an' Hendry's
fell worn too."

Jamie, the boy that he was, said, "Dinna speak like that, mother," and
Jess again put her hand on his head.

"Fine