Then he quietly dropped his own affairs and turned with kindly interest to discuss Jean’s concerns, and also to hear the news of old acquaintances which could only reach him and Jean orally, and could never come to them through any humble substitute for ‘Fashionable News’ in West-end newspapers. Bob could and did read stray newspapers, but they rarely brought him intelligence of the doings of friends old or new, and news were especially acceptable to Bob in these weeks of enforced idleness and pain, from which, though he bore the infliction bravely, he was fain to have his mind diverted for an hour. He took the friendliest interest in the changes going on in Jean’s ‘family,’ which happened at that moment to be looking up in the world, while now and then that very interest betrayed him into precarious allusions. ‘So Miss Mary is to be buckled with young Logan o’ Logan! I mind her weel as a bairn. She was the little leddy wi’ the lint white locks I ha’e carried on my shouther many a time--you mind, Jean? when there was a lock o’ us among the minister’s hay. And Miss Catrine’s to go back to the manse--how bools rin round! and she wants you to go back wi’ her. You’ll do’t, Jean,’ said Bob with cordial confidence. ‘You’ll like the auld place far better than Logan House after young Logan has come to his kingdom. The manse o’ Dalroy was a bonnie pairt and a happy hame even for a servant lass in the auld days. I’ve no doubt it will be as nearly as possible the same, under Miss Catrine who comes o’ a gude stock and the young minister who I am told has the making o’ a powerful preacher in him, while he is a kind man to the puir. I’m as pleased as you can think, Jean, to hear o’ your down-sitten in the end--for you’ll never leave them, they’ll never let you go. Woman, you’ll be an honour to their house among their young maids; you’ll be like Rebeecy’s nurse whom all Israel murned for, that the auld Doctor aince preached about, and you could turn up chapter and verse, and read what was said o’ her in the “Word.”’ ‘Thanks to you, Bob,’ said Jean in a low tone, conscious of his self-forgetfulness. But all through the conversation Bob was alert for any sign of the return of his bairns. He was extremely desirous that they should come home in time for Jean to see them before she left. ‘I wouldna like to keep you ower long, Jean, when you have siccan a tramp between toons, and it was mair than kind of you to come. But if you could just aince cast een on the bairns, if you could see Jockie and tell me what you think o’ him, I would like it aboon a’ things. If I were at their heels,’ cried Bob, waxing hot in his great longing to bring about the introduction, ‘I would try if a gude paik wouldna put smeddum in them. But you ken bairns will be bairns,’ he turned the next moment and craved indulgence for his culprits. ‘They will find things to play wi’, were it but a wheen burrs to stick on ane anither’s backs, and keep them ahint on the road.’