to right of him, to left of him, before him and behind him, and everywhere he seemed to see two new brooms bearing down.  No, the brat, he would not have her; the besom, why did she bother him; the witches take her, for putting the idea into his head, nailing it into his head indeed.  But nevertheless he was forever urging other people to adopt her, assuring them that they would find her a treasure, and even shaking his staff at them when they refused; and he was so uneasy if he did not hear of her several times a day that he made Monypenny the way to and from everywhere, so that he might drop into artful talk with those who had seen her last.  Corp, accordingly, was not surprised at his “How is Grizel?” now, and he answered, between two spits, “She’s fine; she gave me this.”

It was one of the Painted Lady’s silver candlesticks, and the doctor asked sharply why Grizel had given it to him.

“She said because she liked me,” Corp replied, wonderingly.  “She brought it to my auntie’s door soon after I loused, and put it into my hand:  ay, and she had a blue shawl, and she telled me to give it to Gavinia, because she liked her too.”

“What else did she say?”

Corp tried to think.  “I said, ’This cows, Grizel, but thank you kindly,’” he answered, much pleased with his effort of memory, but the doctor interrupted him rudely.  “Nobody wants to hear what you said, you dottrel; what more did she say?” And thus encouraged Corp remembered that she had said she hoped he would not forget her.  “What for should I forget her when I see her ilka day?” he asked, and was probably about to divulge that this was his reply to her, but without waiting for more, McQueen turned his beast’s head and drove to the entrance to the Double Dykes.  Here he alighted and hastened up the path on foot, but before he reached the house he met Dite Deuchars taking his ease beneath a tree, and Dite could tell him that Grizel was not at home.  “But there’s somebody in Double Dykes,” he said, “though I kenna wha could be there unless it’s the ghost of the Painted Lady hersel’.  About an hour syne I saw Grizel come out o’ the house, carrying a bundle, but she hadna gone many yards when she turned round and waved her hand to the east window.  I couldna see wha was at it, but there maun have been somebody, for first the crittur waved to the window and next she kissed her hand to it, and syne she went on a bit, and syne she ran back close to the window and nodded and flung more kisses, and back and forrit she went a curran times as if she could hardly tear hersel’ awa’.  ’Wha’s that you’re so chief wi’?’ I speired when she came by me at last, but she just said, ‘I won’t tell you,’ in her dour wy, and she hasna come back yet.”