e
cud be wantin',' whereupon a conversation ensued.

'Wha was that at the door, Betty?' asked Mrs. Falconer; for Robert had
not shut the door so carefully as he ought, seeing that the deafness of
his grandmother was of much the same faculty as her blindness.

Had Robert not had a hold of Betty by the forelock of her years, he
would have been unable to steal any liberty at all. Still Betty had a
conscience, and although she would not offend Robert if she could help
it, yet she would not lie.

''Deed, mem, I canna jist distinckly say 'at I heard the door,' she
answered.

'Whaur's Robert?' was her next question.

'He's generally up the stair aboot this hoor, mem--that is, whan he's no
i' the parlour at 's lessons.'

'What gangs he sae muckle up the stair for, Betty, do ye ken? It's
something by ordinar' wi' 'm.'

''Deed I dinna ken, mem. I never tuik it into my heid to gang
considerin' aboot it. He'll hae some ploy o' 's ain, nae doobt. Laddies
will be laddies, ye ken, mem.'

'I doobt, Betty, ye'll be aidin' an' abettin'. An' it disna become yer
years, Betty.'

'My years are no to fin' faut wi', mem. They're weel eneuch.'

'That's naething to the pint, Betty. What's the laddie aboot?'

'Do ye mean whan he gangs up the stair, mem?'

'Ay. Ye ken weel eneuch what I mean.'

'Weel, mem, I tell ye I dinna ken. An' ye never heard me tell ye a lee
sin' ever I was i' yer service, mem.'

'Na, nae doonricht. Ye gang aboot it an' aboot it, an' at last ye come
sae near leein' that gin ye spak anither word, ye wad be at it; and
it jist fleys (frights) me frae speirin' ae ither question at ye.
An' that's hoo ye win oot o' 't. But noo 'at it's aboot my ain oye
(grandson), I'm no gaein' to tyne (lose) him to save a woman o' your
years, wha oucht to ken better; an sae I'll speir at ye, though ye suld
be driven to lee like Sawtan himsel'.--What's he aboot whan he gangs up
the stair? Noo!'

'Weel, as sure's deith, I dinna ken. Ye drive me to sweirin', mem, an'
no to leein'.'

'I carena. Hae ye no idea aboot it, than, Betty?'

'Weel, mem, I think sometimes he canna be weel, and maun hae a tod (fox)
in 's stamack, or something o' that nater. For what he eats is awfu'.
An' I think whiles he jist gangs up the stair to eat at 's ain wull.'

'That jumps wi' my ain observations, Betty. Do ye think he micht hae a
rabbit, or maybe a pair o' them, in some boxie i' the garret, noo?'

'And what for no, gin he had, mem?'

'What