common mind felt to be
chilling and repellant; and from any gossip of a personal nature--what
Betty brought her always excepted--she would turn away, generally with
the words, 'Hoots! I canna bide clashes.'

On the evening following that of Shargar's introduction to Mrs.
Falconer's house, Betty came home from the butcher's--for it was
Saturday night, and she had gone to fetch the beef for their Sunday's
broth--with the news that the people next door, that is, round the
corner in the next street, had a visitor.

The house in question had been built by Robert's father, and was,
compared with Mrs. Falconer's one-storey house, large and handsome.
Robert had been born, and had spent a few years of his life in it, but
could recall nothing of the facts of those early days. Some time before
the period at which my history commences it had passed into other hands,
and it was now quite strange to him. It had been bought by a retired
naval officer, who lived in it with his wife--the only Englishwoman in
the place, until the arrival, at The Boar's Head, of the lady so much
admired by Dooble Sanny.

Robert was up-stairs when Betty emptied her news-bag, and so heard
nothing of this bit of gossip. He had just assured Shargar that as soon
as his grandmother was asleep he would look about for what he could
find, and carry it up to him in the garret. As yet he had confined the
expenditure out of Shargar's shilling to twopence.

The household always retired early--earlier on Saturday night in
preparation for the Sabbath--and by ten o'clock grannie and Betty were
in bed. Robert, indeed, was in bed too; but he had lain down in his
clothes, waiting for such time as might afford reasonable hope of his
grandmother being asleep, when he might both ease Shargar's hunger and
get to sleep himself. Several times he got up, resolved to make his
attempt; but as often his courage failed and he lay down again, sure
that grannie could not be asleep yet. When the clock beside him
struck eleven, he could bear it no longer, and finally rose to do his
endeavour.

Opening the door of the closet slowly and softly, he crept upon his
hands and knees into the middle of the parlour, feeling very much like a
thief, as, indeed, in a measure he was, though from a blameless motive.
But just as he had accomplished half the distance to the door, he was
arrested and fixed with terror; for a deep sigh came from grannie's bed,
followed by the voice of words. He thoug