Part 19 (2/2)

Ralph put out his hand as if to touch hers, but Winsome withdrew herself with a swift, fierce movement, and held the door open for him to pa.s.s in. He had no alternative but to obey.

CHAPTER XXIII.

CONCERNING JOHN BAIRDIESON.

”Guid e'en to ye, Maister Ralph,” said the gay old lady within, as soon as she caught sight of Ralph. ”Keep up yer heid, man, an'

walk like a Gilchrist. Ye look as dowie as a yow [ewe] that has lost her lammie.”

Walter Skirving from his arm-chair gave this time no look of recognition. He yielded his hand to Ralph, who raised it clay- chill and heavy even in the act to shake. When he let it drop, the old man held up his palm and looked at it.

”Hae ye gotten aneuch guid Gallawa' lear to learn ye no to rin awa frae a bonny la.s.s yet, Maister Ralph?” said the old lady briskly.

She had not many jokes save with Winsome and Meg, and she rode one hard when she came by it.

But no reply was needed.

”Aye, aye, weelna,” meditated the old lady, leaning back and folding her hands like a mediaeval saint of worldly tendencies, ”tell me aboot your faither.” ”He is very robust and strong in health of body,” said Kalph.

”Ye leeve in Edinbra'?” said the old lady, with a rising inflection of inquiry.

”Yes,” said Ralph, ”we live in James's Court. My father likes to be among his people.”

”Faith na, a hantle o' braw folk hae leeved in James's Court in their time. I mind o' the Leddy Partan an' Mistress Girnigo, the king's jeweller's wife haein' a fair even-doon fecht a' aboot wha was to hae the pick o' the hooses on the stair.--Winifred, ma la.s.sie, come here an' sit doon! Dinna gang flichterin' in an' oot, but bide still an' listen to what Maister Peden has to tell us aboot his farther.”

Winsome came somewhat slowly and reluctantly towards the side of her grandmother's chair. There she sat holding her hand, and looking across the room towards the window where, motionless and abstracted, Walter Skirving, who was once so bold and strong, dreamed his life away.

”I hardly know what to tell you first,” said Ralph, hesitatingly.

”Hoot, tell me gin your faither and you bide thegither withoot ony woman body, did I no hear that yince; is that the case na?”

demanded the lady of Craig Ronald with astonis.h.i.+ng directness.

”It is true enough,” said Ralph, smiling, ”but then we have with us my father's old Minister's Man, John Bairdieson. John has us both in hands and keeps us under fine. He was once a sailor, and cook on a vessel in his wild days; but when he was converted by falling from the top of a main yard into a dock (as he tells himself), he took the faith in a somewhat extreme form. But that does not affect his cooking. He is as good as a woman in a house.”

”An' that's a lee,” said the old lady. ”The best man's no as guid as the warst woman in a hoose!”

Winsome did not appear to be listening. Of what interest could such things be to her?

Her grandmother was by no means satisfied with Ralph's report.

”But that's nae Christian way for folk to leeve, withoot a woman o' ony kind i' the hoose--it's hardly human!”

”But I can a.s.sure you, Mistress Skirving, that, in spite of what you say, John Bairdieson does very well for us. He is, however, terribly jealous of women coming about. He does not allow one of them within the doors. He regards them fixedly through the keyhole before opening, and when he does open, his usual greeting to them is, 'Noo get yer message dune an' be gaun!'”

The lady of Craig Ronald laughed a hearty laugh.

”Gin I cam' to veesit ye I wad learn him mainners! But what does he do,” she continued, ”when some of the dames of good standing in the congregation call on your faither? Does he treat them in this cavalier way?”

<script>