cialist as I am."

"Ay, but A keep ma heid."

"That ye do, mither. Ye're gey cannie," replied her son, shaking his
head, and so they passed the word to and fro, and Maitland sat listening
to the chat. The delightful spirit of camaraderie between mother and son
reminded him of a similar relationship between mother and sons in his
own home in pre-war days. He could not tear himself away. It was well on
to his dinner hour before he rose to go.

"You have given me a delightful hour, Mrs. McNish," he said as he shook
hands. "You made me think of my own home in the old days,--I mean before
the war came and smashed everything." The old lady's eyes were kindly
scanning his face.

"Ay, the war smashed yere hame?" Maitland nodded in silence.

"His brither," said Malcolm, quietly.

"Puir laddie," she said, patting his hand.

"And my mother," added Maitland, speaking with difficulty, "and that, of
course, meant our home--and everything. So I thank you for a very happy
hour," he added with a smile.

"Wad ye care to come again?" said the old lady with a quiet dignity.
"We're plain fowk but ye'll be always welcome."

"I just will, Mrs. McNish. And I will send you the tickets."

"Man! I wish ye grand luck the night. A grand victory."

"Thank you. We are going to make a try for it," said Maitland. "You must
shout for us."

"Ay, wull I," she answered grimly. And she kept her word for of all the
company that made up the Maitland party, none was more conspicuously
enthusiastic in applause than was a white-haired old lady in a
respectable black bonnet whose wild and weird Doric expletives and
exclamations were the joy of the whole party about her.

CHAPTER X

THE NIGHT OF VICTORY

It was an hour after the match. They were gathered in the old rendezvous
of the hockey teams in pre-war days. And they were all wildly excited
over the Great Victory.

"Just think of it, Mamma, dear," Patricia shouted, pirouetting now on
one foot and then on the other, "Eight to six! Oh, it is too glorious to
believe! And against that wonderful team, the Cornwalls! Now listen to
me, while I give you a calm and connected account of the game. I shall
always regret that you were not present, Mamma. Victory! And at half
time we were down, five to two! I confess disaster and despair stared me
in the face. And we started off so gloriously! Captain Jack and Snoopy
in the first five minutes actually put in two goals, with that back goal
play of