‘And here’s yer kingdom, Francis—my heid and my hert! Du wi’ me what ye wull.’
‘Come hame wi’ me, and help save my mother,’ he answered, in a voice choked with emotion.
‘I wull,’ she said, and would have risen; but he laid his hands on her head, and thus they remained for a time in silence. Then they rose, and went.
They had gone about half-way to the farm before either spoke. Then Kirsty said,—
‘Francie, there’s ae thing I maun beg o’ ye, and but ane—’at ye winna desire me to tak the heid o’ yer table. I canna but think it an ungracious thing ’at a young wuman like me, the son’s wife, suld put the man’s ain mother, his father’s wife, oot o’ the place whaur his father set her. I’m layin doon no prenciple; I’m sayin only hoo it affecs me. I want to come hame as her dochter, no as mistress o’ the hoose in her stead. And ye see, Francie, that’ll gie ye anither haud o’ her, agen disgracin o’ hersel! Promise me, Francie, and I’ll sune tak the maist pairt o’ the trouble o’ her aff o’ yer han’s.’
‘Ye’re aye richt, Kirsty!’ answered Francis. ‘As ye wull.’
CHAPTER XLIV
KIRSTY’S TOCHER
The next morning, Kirsty told her parents that she was going to marry Francie.
‘Ye du richt, my bairn,’ said her father. ‘He’s come in sicht o’ ’s high callin, and it’s no possible for ye langer to refuse him.’
‘But, eh! what am I to du wantin ye, Kirsty?’ moaned her mother.