"The wean's sae sick! And if we let the doctor hae him he'd be well and strong.
And it micht be we could see him sometimes.

The doctor wad let us do sae, do ye nae think it ?" Lang they talked of it.

But they could came tae nae ither thought than that it was better to lose the bairn and gie him his chance to live and to grow up than to lose him by havin' him dee.

Lose him they must, it seemed, and Jamie cried out against God, at last, and swore that there was no help, even though a man was ready and willing to work his fingers to the bone for wife and bairn.

And sae, wi' the heaviest of hearts, he made his way to the doctor's door and rang the bell.
"Weel, and ye and the wife are showing yer good sense," said the doctor, heartily, when he heard what Jamie had to say.