"How do you do, Annie?" she said.
"Quite well, I thank ye, mem," answered Annie, showing in her voice that she was owerawed by the grand lady, yet mistress enough of her manners not to forget a pretty modest courtesy as she spoke.
"What's gaein' on at the school the day, Annie?" asked Alec.
"Naething by ordidar," answered Annie, the sweetness of her tones contrasting with the roughness of the dialect. "The maister's a hantle quaieter than usual. I fancy he's a' the better behaved for's brunt fingers. But, oh, Alec!"
And here the little maiden burst into a passionate fit of crying.
"What's the matter, Annie," said Mrs Forbes, as she drew her nearer, genuinely concerned at the child's tears.
"Oh! mem, ye didna see hoo the maister lickit him, or ye wad hae grutten yersel'."
Tears from some mysterious source sprang to Mrs Forbes's eyes. But at the moment Mary opened the door, and said—
"Here's Maister Bruce, mem, wantin' to see ye."
"Tell him to walk up, Mary."