“Ay, I kent it was near school time,” said old Adam; “and what should I pit my fit on, the first thing this morning when I steppit out o’ my ain door, but this braw new book? What gars ye be such careless monkeys? And it might just as easy have tumbled down off the step to the byre door, and had the brown cow Mailie, tramp on’t instead o’ me--and then ye never could have looked at it again, bairns. I wish you would just mind that a’ thing costs siller.” “Eh, Dragon, Harry is to take us to Blaelodge in the carriage,” said Violet; “for Harry is going to Stirling to bring home Mr. Charteris to stay a whole week; and you mind Mr. Charteris, Dragon?” “That’s yon birkie,” said the old man. “Is he coming to be married upon Miss Rose?” “As if Rose would marry anybody!” said Violet, with disdain; “but, eh, Katie! I dinna mind my grammar.” “Because you made him tell us fairy tales last night,” said the sensible Katie; “but I had my grammar learned first. Come away, Lettie, and learn it on the road.” “And I’ll maybe daunder as far as Maidlin Cross and meet ye, bairns, when ye’re coming hame,” said Dragon. “And I wadna care, if Mr. Hairy gave ye the auld gig to drive ye ower every morning mysel, and sae ye may tell him.” But Harry, just then, had discovered, by a second glance at Cuthbert’s note, that he did not expect to arrive in Stirling till four or five o’clock. “It does not matter, however,” said Harry, “I have something to do in Stirling, and an hour or two is not of much importance. Have a good dinner for us, Agnes--perhaps I may bring out somebody else with me. Now, little ones, jump in--and you need not expect us till five.” Agnes stood on the steps, very gay and blooming, in a morning dress which she would have thought magnificent Sabbath-day’s apparel six months ago; while Rose, behind her, held up little Harry to kiss his hand to his young father. The window of the dining-room, where they had breakfasted, was open, and Martha stood beside it looking out. She was chiding herself, as she found that all those peaceful days had not yet quite obliterated the old suspicious anxiety which trembled to see Harry depart anywhere alone; and unconsciously she pulled the white jasmine flowers which clustered about the window, and felt their fragrance sicken her, and threw them to the ground. Many a time after, there returned to Martha’s heart the odour of those jasmine flowers.