feet　and　hurried　from　the　room。　　At　the　foot　of　the　garret　stair；
  between　it　and　the　door　of　the　gable…room　already　mentioned；　stood
  another　door　at　right　angles　to　both；　of　the　existence　of　which　the
  boy　was　scarcely　aware；　simply　because　he　had　seen　it　all　his　life
  and　had　never　seen　it　open。　　Turning　his　back　on　this　last　door；
  which　he　took　for　a　blind　one；　he　went　down　a　short　broad　stair；　at
  the　foot　of　which　was　a　window。　　He　then　turned　to　the　left　into　a
  long　flagged　passage　or　transe；　passed　the　kitchen　door　on　the　one
  hand；　and　the　double…leaved　street　door　on　the　other；　but；　instead
  of　going　into　the　parlour；　the　door　of　which　closed　the　transe；　he
  stopped　at　the　passage…window　on　the　right；　and　there　stood　looking
  out。
  What　might　be　seen　from　this　window　certainly　could　not　be　called　a
  very　pleasant　prospect。　　A　broad　street　with　low　houses　of　cold　gray
  stone　is　perhaps　as　uninteresting　a　form　of　street　as　any　to　be
  found　in　the　world；　and　such　was　the　street　Robert　looked　out　upon。
  Not　a　single　member　of　the　animal　creation　was　to　be　seen　in　it；
  not　a　pair　of　eyes　to　be　discovered　looking　out　at　any　of　the
  windows　opposite。　　The　sole　motion　was　the　occasional　drift　of　a
  vapour…like　film　of　white　powder；　which　the　wind　would　lift　like
  dust　from　the　snowy　carpet　that　covered　the　street；　and　wafting　it
  along　for　a　few　yards；　drop　again　to　its　repose；　till　another
  stronger　gust；　prelusive　of　the　wind　about　to　rise　at　sun…down；a
  wind　cold　and　bitter　as　deathwould　rush　over　the　street；　and　raise
  a　denser　cloud　of　the　white　water…dust　to　sting　the　face　of　any
  improbable　person　who　might　meet　it　in　its　passage。　　It　was　a　keen；
  knife…edged　frost；　even　in　the　house；　and　what　Robert　saw　to　make
  him　stand　at　the　desolate　window；　I　do　not　know；　and　I　believe　he
  could　not　himself　have　told。　　There　he　did　stand；　however；　for　the
  space　of　five　minutes　or　so；　with　nothing　better　filling　his　outer
  eyes　at　least　than　a　bald　spot　on　the　crown　of　the　street；　whence
  the　wind　had　swept　away　the　snow；　leaving　it　brown　and　bare；　a　spot
  of　March　in　the　middle　of　January。
  He　heard　the　town　drummer　in　the　distance；　and　let　the　sound　invade
  his　passive　ears；　till　it　crossed　the　opening　of　the　street；　and
  vanished　'down　the　town。'
  'There's　Dooble　Sanny；'　he　said　to　himself'wi'　siccan　cauld　han's；
  'at　he's　playin'　upo'　the　drum…heid　as　gin　he　was　loupin'　in　a　bowie
  （leaping　in　a　cask）。'
  Then　he　stood　silent　once　more；　with　a　look　as　if　anything　would　be
  welcome　to　break　the　monotony。
  While　he　stood　a　gentle　timorous　tap　came　to　the　door；　so　gentle
  indeed　that　Betty　in　the　kitchen　did　not　hear　it；　or　she；　tall　and
  Roman…nosed　as　she　was；　would　have　answered　it　before　the
  long…legged　dreamer　could　have　reached　the　door；　though　he　was　not
  above　three　yards　from　it。　　In　lack　of　anything　better　to　do；　Robert
  stalked　to　the　summons。　　As　he　opened　the　door；　these　words　greeted
  him：
  'Is　Robert　ateh！　it's　Bob　himsel'！　　Bob；　I'm　byous　（exceedingly）
  cauld。'
  'What　for　dinna　ye　gang　hame；　than？'
  'What　for　wasna　ye　at　the　schuil　the　day？'
  'I　spier　ae　queston　at　you；　and　ye　answer　me　wi'　anither。'
  'Weel；　I　hae　nae　hame　to　gang　till。'
  'Weel；　and　I　had　a　sair　heid　（a　headache）。　　But　whaur's　yer　hame
  gane　till　than？'
  'The　hoose　is　there　a'　richt；　but　whaur　my　mither　is　I　dinna　ken。
  The　door's　lockit；　an'　Jeames　Jaup；　they　tell　me　's　tane　awa'　the
  key。　　I　doobt　my　mither's　awa'　upo'　the　tramp　again；　and　what's　to
  come　o'　me；　the　Lord　kens。'
  'What's　this　o'　't？'　interposed　a　severe　but　not　unmelodious　voice；
  breaking　into　the　conversation　between　the　two　boys；　for　the　parlour
  door　had　opened　without　Robert's　hearing　it；　and　Mrs。　Falconer；　his
  grandmother；　had　drawn　near　to　the　speakers。
  'What's　this　o'　't？'　she　asked　again。　'Wha's　that　ye're　conversin'
  wi'　at　the　door；　Robert？　　Gin　it　be　ony　decent　laddie；　tell　him　to
  come　in；　and　no　stan'　at　the　door　in　sic　a　day　's　this。'
  As　Robert　hesitated　with　his　reply；　she　looked　round　the　open　half
  of　the　door；　but　no　sooner　saw　with　whom　he　was　talking　than　her
  tone　changed。　　By　this　time　Betty；　wiping　her　hands　in　her　apron；
  had　completed　the　group　by　taking　her　stand　in　the　kitchen　door。
  'Na；　na；'　said　Mrs。　Falconer。　'We　want　nane　sic…like　here。　　What
  does　he　want　wi'　you；　Robert？　　Gie　him　a　piece；　Betty；　and　lat　him
  gang。Eh；　sirs！　the　callant　hasna　a　stockin'…fit　upo'　'imand　in
  sic　weather！'
  For；　before　she　had　finished　her　speech；　the　visitor；　as　if　in
  terror　of　her　nearer　approach；　had　turned　his　back；　and　literally
  showed　her；　if　not　a　clean　pair　of　heels；　yet　a　pair　of　naked　heels
  from　between　the　soles　and　uppers　of　his　shoes：　if　he　had　any
  stockings　at　all；　they　ceased　before　they　reached　his　ankles。
  'What　ails　him　at　me？'　continued　Mrs。　Falconer；　'that　he　rins　as　gin
  I　war　a　boodie？　　But　it's　nae　wonner　he　canna　bide　the　sicht　o'　a
  decent　body；　for　he's　no　used　till　't。　　What　does　he　want　wi'　you；
  Robert？'
  But　Robert　had　a　reason　for　not　telling　his　grandmother　what　the　boy
  had　told　him：　he　thought　the　news　about　his　mother　would　only　make
  her　disapprove　of　him　the　more。　　In　this　he　judged　wrong。　　He　did
  not　know　his　grandmother　yet。
  'He's　in　my　class　at　the　schuil；'　said　Robert；　evasively。
  'Him？　　What　class；　noo？'
  Robert　hesitated　one　moment；　but；　compelled　to　give　some　answer；
  said；　with　confidence；
  'The　Bible…class。'
  'I　thocht　as　muckle！　　What　gars　ye　play　at　hide　and　seek　wi'　me？　　Do
  ye　think　I　dinna　ken　weel　eneuch　there's　no　a　lad　or　a　lass　at　the
  schuil　but　's　i'　the　Bible…class？　　What　wants　he　here？'
  'Ye　hardly　gae　him　time　to　tell　me；　grannie。　　Ye　frichtit　him。'
  'Me　fricht　him！　　What　for　suld　I　fricht　him；　laddie？　　I'm　no　sic
  ferlie　（wonder）　that　onybody　needs　be　frichtit　at　me。'
  The　old　lady　turned　with　visible；　though　by　no　means　profound
  offence　upon　her　calm　forehead；　and　walking　back　into　her　parlour；
  where　Robert　could　see　the　fire　burning　right　cheerily；　shut　the
  door；　and　left　him　and　Betty　standing　together　in　the　transe。　　The
  latter　returned　to　the　kitchen；　to　resume　the　washing　of　the
  dinner…dishes；　and　the　former　returned　to　his　post　at　the　window。
  He　had　not　stood　more　than　half　a　minute；　thinking　what　was　to　be
  done　with　his　school…fellow　deserted　of　his　mother；　when　the　sound
  of　a　coach…horn　drew　his　attention　to　the　right；　down　the　street；
  where　he　could　see　part　of　the　other　street　which　crossed　it　at
  right　angles；　and　in　which　the　gable　of　the　house　stood。　　A　minute
  after；　the　mail　came　in　sightscarlet；　spotted　with　snowand
  disappeared；　going　up　the　hill　towards　the　chief　hostelry　of　the
  town；　as　fast　as　four　horses；　tired　with　the　bad　footing　they　had
  had　through　the　whole　of　the　stage；　could　draw　it　after　them。　　By
  this　time　the　twilight　was　falling；　for　though　the　sun　had　not　yet
  set；　miles　of　frozen　vapour　came　between　him　and　this　part　of　the
  world；　and　his　light　was　never　very　powerful　so　far　north　at　this
  season　of　the　year。
  Robert　turned　into　the　kitchen；　and　began　to　put　on　his　shoes。　　He
  had　made　up　his　mind　what　to　do。
  'Ye're　never　gaein'　oot；　Robert？'　said　Betty；　in　a　hoarse　tone　of
  expostulation。
  ''Deed　am　I；　Betty。　　What　for　no？'
  'You　'at's　been　in　a'　day　wi'　a　sair　heid！　　I'll　jist　gang　benn　the
  hoose　and　tell　the　mistress；　and　syne　we'll　see　what　she'll　please
  to　say　till　't。'
  'Ye'll　do　naething　o'　the　kin'；　Betty。　　Are　ye　gaein'　to　turn
  clash…pyet　（tell…tale）　at　your　age？'
  'What　ken　ye　aboot　my　age？　　There's　never　a　man…body　i'　the　toon
  kens　aught　aboot　my　age。'
  'It's　ower　muckle　for　onybody　to　min'　upo'　（remember）；　is　't；
  Betty？'
  'Dinna　be　ill…tongued；　Robert；　or　I'll　jist　gang　benn　the　hoose　to
  the　mistress。'
  'Betty；　wha　began　wi'　bein'　ill…tongued？　　Gin　ye　tell　my　grandmither
  that　I　gaed　oot　the　nicht；　I'll　gang　to　the　schuilmaister　o'
  Muckledrum；　and　get　a　sicht　o'　the　kirstenin'　buik；　an'　gin　yer　name
  binna　there；　I'll　tell　ilkabody　I　meet　'at　oor　Betty　was　never
  kirstened；　and　that'll　be　a　sair　affront；　Betty。'
  'Hoot！　was　there　ever　sic　a　laddie！'　said　Betty；　attempting　to　laugh
  it　off。　'Be　sure　ye　be　back　afore　tay…time；　'cause　yer　grannie　'ill
  be　speirin'　efter　ye；　and　ye　wadna　hae　me　lee　aboot　ye？'
  'I　wad　hae　naebody　lee　about　me。　　Ye　jist　needna　lat　on　'at　ye　hear
  her。　　Ye　can　be　deif　eneuch　when　ye　like；　Betty。　　But　I　s'　be　back
  afore　tay…time；　or　come　on　the　waur。'
  Betty；　who　was　in　far　greater　fear　of　her　age　being　discovered　than
  of　being　unchristianized　in　the　search；　though　the　fact　was　that　she
  knew　nothing　certain　about　the　matter；　and　had　no　desire　to　be
  enlightened；　feeling　as　if　she　was　thus　left　at　liberty　to　hint　what
  she　pleased；Betty；　I　say；　never　had　any　intention　of　going　'benn
  the　hoose　to　the　mistress。'　　For　the　threat　was　merely　the　rod　of
  terror　whic