He could no bear to let her think it was selling the bairn they were.

And, in truth, whether he was to tak' the siller or not, it was no that had moved him.
It was a sair, dour nicht for Jamie and the wife.

They lay awake, the twa of them.

They listened to the breathing of the wean; whiles and again he'd rouse and greet a wee, and every sound he made tore at their heart strings.

They were to say gude-bye to him the morrow, never to see him again; Annie was to hold him in her mither's arms for the last time.