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enabled him to accept the offered pardon？ And for anything she
knew； was not Robert going after him to the place of misery？ How
could she smile？
'Noo be dooce；' she said； the moment she had shaken hands with them；
with her cold hands； so clean and soft and smooth。 With a volcanic
heart of love； her outside was always so still and cold！snow on
the mountain sides； hot vein…coursing lava within。 For her highest
duty was submission to the will of God。 Ah！ if she had only known
the God who claimed her submission！ But there is time enough for
every heart to know him。
'Noo be dooce；' she repeated； 'an' sit doon； and tell me aboot the
fowk at Bodyfauld。 I houpe ye thankit them； or ye left； for their
muckle kindness to ye。'
The boys were silent。
'Didna ye thank them？'
'No； grannie； I dinna think 'at we did。'
'Weel； that was ill…faured o' ye。 Eh！ but the hert is deceitfu'
aboon a' thing； and desperately wicked。 Who can know it？ Come
awa'。 Come awa'。 Robert； festen the door。'
And she led them to the corner for prayer； and poured forth a
confession of sin for them and for herself； such as left little that
could have been added by her own profligate son； had he joined in
the prayer。 Either there are no degrees in guilt； or the Scotch
language was equal only to the confession of children and holy
women； and could provide no more awful words for the contrition of
the prodigal or the hypocrite。 But the words did little harm； for
Robert's mind was full of the kite and the violin； and was probably
nearer God thereby than if he had been trying to feel as wicked as
his grandmother told God that he was。 Shargar was even more
divinely employed at the time than either； for though he had not had
the manners to thank his benefactor； his heart had all the way home
been full of tender thoughts of Miss Lammie's kindness； and now；
instead of confessing sins that were not his； he was loving her over
and over； and wishing to be back with her instead of with this
awfully good woman； in whose presence there was no peace； for all
the atmosphere of silence and calm in which she sat。
Confession over； and the boys at liberty again； a new anxiety seized
them。 Grannie must find out that Robert's shoes were missing； and
what account was to be given of the misfortune； for Robert would
not； or could not lie？ In the midst of their discussion a bright
idea flashed upon Shargar； which； however； he kept to himself： he
would steal them； and bring them home in triumph； emulating thus
Robert's exploit in delivering his bonny leddy。
The shoemaker sat behind his door to be out of the draught： Shargar
might see a great part of the workshop without being seen； and he
could pick Robert's shoes from among a hundred。 Probably they lay
just where Robert had laid them； for Dooble Sanny paid attention to
any job only in proportion to the persecution accompanying it。
So the next day Shargar contrived to slip out of school just as the
writing lesson began； for he had great skill in conveying himself
unseen； and； with his book…bag； slunk barefooted into the soutar's
entry。
The shop door was a little way open； and the red eyes of Shargar had
only the corner next it to go peering about in。 But there he saw
the shoes。 He got down on his hands and knees； and crept nearer。
Yes； they were beyond a doubt Robert's shoes。 He made a long arm；
like a beast of prey； seized them； and； losing his presence of mind
upon possession； drew them too hastily towards him。 The shoemaker
saw them as they vanished through the door； and darted after them。
Shargar was off at full speed； and Sandy followed with hue and cry。
Every idle person in the street joined in the pursuit； and all who
were too busy or too respectable to run crowded to door and windows。
Shargar made instinctively for his mother's old lair； but
bethinking himself when he reached the door； he turned； and； knowing
nowhere else to go； fled in terror to Mrs。 Falconer's； still；
however； holding fast by the shoes； for they were Robert's。
As Robert came home from school； wondering what could have become of
his companion； he saw a crowd about his grandmother's door； and
pushing his way through it in some dismay； found Dooble Sanny and
Shargar confronting each other before the stern justice of Mrs。
Falconer。
'Ye're a leear；' the soutar was panting out。 'I haena had a pair o'
shune o' Robert's i' my han's this three month。 Thae shunelat me
see themthey'reHere's Robert himsel'。 Are thae shune yours；
noo； Robert？'
'Ay are they。 Ye made them yersel'。'
'Hoo cam they in my chop； than？'
'Speir nae mair quest'ons nor's worth answerin'；' said Robert； with
a look meant to be significant。 'They're my shune； and I'll keep
them。 Aiblins ye dinna aye ken wha's shune ye hae； or whan they cam
in to ye。'
'What for didna Shargar come an' speir efter them； than； in place o'
makin' a thief o' himsel' that gait？'
'Ye may haud yer tongue；' returned Robert； with yet more
significance。
'I was aye a gowk （idiot）；' said Shargar； in apologetic reflection；
looking awfully white； and afraid to lift an eye to Mrs。 Falconer；
yet reassured a little by Robert's presence。
Some glimmering seemed now to have dawned upon the soutar； for he
began to prepare a retreat。 Meantime Mrs。 Falconer sat silent；
allowing no word that passed to escape her。 She wanted to be at the
bottom of the mysterious affair； and therefore held her peace。
'Weel； I'm sure； Robert； ye never tellt me aboot the shune；' said
Alexander。 'I s' jist tak them back wi' me； and du what's wantit to
them。 And I'm sorry that I hae gien ye this tribble； Mistress
Faukner； but it was a' that fule's wite there。 I didna even ken it
was him； till we war near…han' the hoose。'
'Lat me see the shune；' said Mrs。 Falconer； speaking almost for the
first time。 'What's the maitter wi' them？'
Examining the shoes； she saw they were in a perfectly sound state；
and this confirmed her suspicion that there was more in the affair
than had yet come out。 Had she taken the straightforward measure of
examining Robert； she would soon have arrived at the truth。 But she
had such a dread of causing a lie to be told； that she would adopt
any roundabout way rather than ask a plain question of a suspected
culprit。 So she laid the shoes down beside her； saying to the
soutar；
'There's naething amiss wi' the shune。 Ye can lea' them。'
Thereupon Alexander went away； and Robert and Shargar would have
given more than their dinner to follow him。 Grannie neither asked
any questions； however； nor made a single remark on what had passed。
Dinner was served and eaten； and the boys returned to their
afternoon school。
No sooner was she certain that they were safe under the
school…master's eye than the old lady put on her black silk bonnet
and her black woollen shawl； took her green cotton umbrella； which
served her for a staff； and； refusing Betty's proffered assistance；
set out for Dooble Sanny's shop。
As she drew near she heard the sounds of his violin。 When she
entered； he laid his auld wife carefully aside； and stood in an
expectant attitude。
'Mr。 Elshender； I want to be at the boddom o' this；' said Mrs。
Falconer。
'Weel； mem； gang to the boddom o' 't；' returned Dooble Sanny；
dropping on his stool； and taking his stone upon his lap and
stroking it； as if it had been some quadrupedal pet。 Full of rough
but real politeness to women when in good humour； he lost all his
manners along with his temper upon the slightest provocation； and
her tone irritated him。
'Hoo cam Robert's shune to be i' your shop？'
'Somebody bude till hae brocht them； mem。 In a' my expairience； and
that's no sma'； I never kent pair o' shune gang ohn a pair o' feet
i' the wame o' them。'
'Hoots！ what kin' o' gait 's that to speyk till a body？ Whase feet
was inside the shune？'
'De'il a bit o' me kens； mem。'
'Dinna sweir； whatever ye du。'
'De'il but I will sweir； mem； an' gin ye anger me； I'll jist sweir
awfu'。'
'I'm sure I hae nae wuss to anger ye； man！ Canna ye help a body to
win at the boddom o' a thing ohn angert an' sworn？'
'Weel； I kenna wha brocht the shune； as I tellt ye a'ready。'
'But they wantit nae men'in'。'
'I micht hae men't them an' forgotten 't； mem。'
'Noo ye're leein'。'
'Gin ye gang on that gait； mem； I winna speyk a word o' trowth frae
this moment foret。'
'Jist tell me what ye ken aboot thae shune； an' I'll no say anither
word。'
'Weel； mem； I'll tell ye the trowth。 The de'il brocht them in ae
day in a lang taings； and says he； 〃Elshender； men' thae shune for
puir Robby Faukner； an' dooble…sole them for the life o' ye； for
that auld luckie…minnie o' his 'ill sune hae him doon oor gait； and
the grun' 's het i' the noo； an' I dinna want to be ower