[Jock goes out, closing the door quietly after him. Mary, left alone, begins to tidy up and prepare the house for the use of the day. Soon the door at the right opens, and Ellen Brown, Jock’s mother, enters. She is an old woman, but not so old as she looks; her spare figure bears all the marks of a life that is one continuous struggle against a hard fate. She is dressed plainly in black, with an apron; her head is covered with a shawl. Mary, who is at the window rolling up the broken blind, starts and turns to her in surprise. MARY Why, auntie, ye’re up airly. ELLEN Aye. Is the lad awa’ yit? MARY He’s jist awa’. Is onythin’ wrang? ELLEN Naw, lass, naw. A wid a’ liket to a’ seen him afore he went. MARY Will A rin efter im? He’s jist this meenit awa’. ELLEN An’ mak’ ‘im late? Naw, we musnae dae that. It wis only a fancy. A thocht A micht catch ‘im, but A widnae chance makin’ ‘im late. He tak’s a pride in bein’ at the pithead regular for the first cage gaun doon; he’d be rare an’ mad wi’ me if A brung him back fur naethin’. MARY Why did ye no’ shout on us frae yer room? ELLEN A didnae think o’ that. MARY (puzzled by her appearance, decides to be consoling) Weel, A’m sorry ye left yer bed fur naethin’, before the room’s aired tae. ELLEN Ach, that’s naethin’, lass. MARY Weel, sit doon while A mak’ a fire an get the breakfast ready. Room’ll soon be warm. ELLEN Aye, lass. [She moves listlessly to the rocking- chair, in which she sits passively, while Mary takes some sticks and paper from the oven and kneels, making a fire. MARY It’s a wee sherp this mornin’ too. (She looks up to see Ellen furtively dabbing her eyes with a clean handkerchief .) Auntie, whit’s up wi’ ye? Wull ye no tell me whit’s the maitter? ELLEN Naethin’, lass, naethin’. MARY (as she rises and stands by the chair) Bit there must be somethin’. Whit wey did ye get up sae airly? Ye were soon’ anough asleep when A left ye. ELLEN Sleepin’? Aye, A wis sleepin’ richt anough, an’ would to God A hidnae been. MARY Whit dae ye mean? ELLEN Only an auld wife’s fancy, lass. MARY Naw, ye must tell me whit it is. ELLEN It wis a dream that made me rise, lass.