"Cud ye spare the mistress for an hoor, or maybe twa an' a half, to
haud Grannie company, John Nauchty?" said Agnes.
"Weel that," answered the SUTOR, hammering away. He intended no
reflection on the bond that bound the mistress and himself.
"I dinna see her," said Aggie.
"She'll be in in a minute. She's run ower the ro'd to get a doup o'
a can'le," returned the man.
"Gien she dinna the speedier, she'll hae to licht it to fin' her
ain door," said Agnes merrily, to whom the approaching fight with
the elements was as welcome as to Cosmo. She had made up her mind
to go with him all the way, let him protest as he might.
"Ow na! she'll hearken, an' hear the hemmer," replied the
shoemaker.
"Weel, tak the key, an' ye winna forget, John?" said Aggie, laying
the key amongst his tools. "Grannie's lyin' there her lee-lane, an'
gien the hoose was to tak fire, what wad come o' her?"
"Guid forbid onybody sud forget Grannie!" rejoined the man
heartily; "but fire wad hae a sma' chance the nicht."
Agnes thanked and left him. All the time he had not missed a single
stroke of his hammer on the benleather between it and his lapstone.
When she rejoined Cosmo, where he stood leaning his back against
the wind in the middle of the road,
"Come nae farther, Aggie," he said. "It's an ill nicht, an' grows
waur. There's nae guid in't naither, for we winna hear ane anither
speyk ohn stoppit, an' turnt oor backs til't.
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