her went far round the
bonnet, and Chirsty Lownie's reason for always holding her left arm
fast against her side when she went abroad in the black jacket. Ever
since My Hobart's eleven and a bit was left on the kitchen bed Jess had
hungered for a cloak with beads. My's was the very marrows of the one
T'nowhead's wife got in Dundee for ten-and-sixpence; indeed, we would
have thought that 'Lisbeth's also came from Kyowowy's had not Sanders
Elshioner's sister seen her go into the Dundee shop with T'nowhead (who
was loth), and hung about to discover what she was after.

Hendry was not quick at reading faces like Tammas Haggart, but the
wistful look on Jess's face when there was talk of eleven and a bits
had its meaning for him.

"They're grand to look at, no doubt," I have heard him say to Jess,
"but they're richt annoyin'. That new wife o' Peter Dickie's had ane
on in the kirk last Sabbath, an' wi' her sittin' juist afore us I
couldna listen to the sermon for tryin' to count the beads."

Hendry made his way into these gossips uninvited, for his opinions on
dress were considered contemptible, though he was worth consulting on
material. Jess and Leeby discussed many things in his presence,
confident that his ears were not doing their work; but every now and
then it was discovered that he had been hearkening greedily. If the
subject was dress, he might then become a little irritating.

"Oh, they're grand," Jess admitted; "they set a body aff oncommon."

"They would be no use to you," said Hendry, "for ye canna wear them
except ootside."

"A body doesna buy cloaks to be wearin' at them steady," retorted Jess.

"No, no, but you could never wear yours though ye had ane."

"I dinna want ane. They're far ower grand for the like o' me."

"They're no nae sic thing. Am thinkin' ye're juist as fit to wear an
eleven and a bit as My Hobart."

"Weel, mebbe I am, but it's oot o' the queistion gettin' ane, they're
sic a price."

"Ay, an' though we had the siller, it would surely be an awfu' like
thing to buy a cloak 'at ye could never wear?"

"Ou, but I dinna want ane."

Jess spoke so mournfully that Hendry became enraged.

"It's most michty," he said, "'at ye would gang an' set yer heart on
sic a completely useless thing."

"I hinna set my heart on't."

"Dinna blether. Ye've been speakin' aboot thae eleven and a bits to
Leeby, aff an' on, for twa month."

Then Hendry hobbled off to his loom, and Jess gave me a