r hands that never had such a
record.

"If ye could eat something," said Hendry, "I would gae to the flesher's
for 't. I mind when I had the headache, hoo a small steak--"

"Gae awa for the doctor, rayther," broke in Leeby.

Jess started, for sufferers think there is less hope for them after the
doctor has been called in to pronounce sentence.

"I winna hae the doctor," she said, anxiously.

In answer to Leeby's nods, Hendry slowly pulled out his boots from
beneath the table, and sat looking at them, preparatory to putting them
on. He was beginning at last to be a little scared, though his face
did not show it.

"I winna hae ye," cried Jess, getting to her feet, "ga'en to the
doctor's sic a sicht. Yer coat's a' yarn."

"Havers," said Hendry, but Jess became frantic.

I offered to go for the doctor, but while I was up-stairs looking for
my bonnet I heard the door slam. Leeby had become impatient, and
darted off herself, buttoning her jacket probably as she ran. When I
returned to the kitchen, Jess and Hendry were still by the fire.
Hendry was beating a charred stick into sparks, and his wife sat with
her hands in her lap. I saw Hendry look at her once or twice, but he
could think of nothing to say. His terms of endearment had died out
thirty-nine years before with his courtship. He had forgotten the
words. For his life he could not have crossed over to Jess and put his
arm round her. Yet he was uneasy. His eyes wandered round the poorly
lit room.

"Will ye hae a drink o' watter?" he asked.

There was a sound of footsteps outside.

"That'll be him," said Hendry in a whisper.

Jess started to her feet, and told Hendry to help her ben the house.

The steps died away, but I fancied that Jess, now highly strung, had
gone into hiding, and I went after her. I was mistaken. She had lit
the room lamp, turning the crack in the globe to the wall. The
sheepskin hearthrug, which was generally carefully packed away beneath
the bed, had been spread out before the empty fireplace, and Jess was
on the arm-chair hurriedly putting on her grand black mutch with the
pink flowers.

"I was juist makkin' mysel respectable," she said, but without life in
her voice.

This was the only time I ever saw her in the room.

Leeby returned panting to say that the doctor might be expected in an
hour. He was away among the hills.

The hour passed reluctantly. Leeby lit a fire ben the house, and then
put on her Sabbat