way of shoving doors rudely
open and crying--

"Ony rozetty roots?" and him Jamie imitated.

"Juist think," Jess said, as she recalled the incident, "what a startle
we got. As we think, Pete kicks open the door and cries oot, 'Ony
rozetty roots?' and Leeby says 'No,' and gangs to shut the door. Next
minute she screeches, 'What, what, what!' and in walks Jamie!"

Jess was never able to decide whether it was more delightful to be
taken aback in this way or to prepare for Jamie. Sudden excitement was
bad for her according to Hendry, who got his medical knowledge
second-hand from persons under treatment, but with Jamie's appearance
on the threshold Jess's health began to improve. This time he kept to
the appointed day, and the house was turned upside down in his honour.
Such a polish did Leeby put on the flagons which hung on the kitchen
wall, that, passing between them and the window, I thought once I had
been struck by lightning. On the morning of the day that was to bring
him, Leeby was up at two o'clock, and eight hours before he could
possibly arrive Jess had a night-shirt warming for him at the fire. I
was no longer anybody, except as a person who could give Jamie advice.
Jess told me what I was to say. The only thing he and his mother
quarrelled about was the underclothing she would swaddle him in, and
Jess asked me to back her up in her entreaties.

"There's no a doubt," she said, "but what it's a hantle caulder here
than in London, an' it would be a terrible business if he was to tak
the cauld."

Jamie was to sail from London to Dundee, and come on to Thrums from
Tilliedrum in the post-cart. The road at that time, however, avoided
the brae, and at a certain point Jamie's custom was to alight, and take
the short cut home, along a farm road and up the commonty. Here, too,
Hookey Crewe, the post, deposited his passenger's box, which Hendry
wheeled home in a barrow. Long before the cart had lost sight of
Tilliedrum, Jess was at her window.

"Tell her Hookey's often late on Monundays," Leeby whispered to me,
"for she'll gang oot o' her mind if she thinks there's onything wrang."

Soon Jess was painfully excited, though she sat as still as salt.

"It maun be yer time," she said, looking at both Leeby and me, for in
Thrums we went out and met our friends.

"Hoots," retorted Leeby, trying to be hardy, "Hookey canna be oot o'
Tilliedrum yet."

"He maun hae startit lang syne."

"I wonder at ye, mother