There stood the child, and whether he was the Lord or not, he was evidently hungry.Ah! who could tell but the Lord was actually hungry in every one of his hungering little ones!
In the mean time--only it was but thought-time, not clock-time--Gibbie stood motionless in the middle of the floor, smiling his innocent smile, asking for nothing, hinting at nothing, but resting his wild calm eyes, with a sense of safety and mother-presence, upon the grey thoughtful face of the gazing woman.
Her awe deepened; it seemed to descend upon her and fold her in as with a mantle.Involuntarily she bowed her head, and stepping to him took him by the hand, and led him to the stool she had left.
There she made him sit, while she brought forward her table, white with scrubbing, took from a hole in the wall and set upon it a platter of oatcakes, carried a wooden bowl to her dairy in the rock through a whitewashed door, and bringing it back filled, half with cream half with milk, set that also on the table.Then she placed a chair before it, and said--"Sit ye doon, an' tak.Gin ye war the Lord himsel', my bonny man, an' ye may be for oucht I ken, for ye luik puir an' despised eneuch, I cud gie nae better, for it's a' I hae to offer ye--'cep it micht be an egg," she added, correcting herself, and turned and went out.
Presently she came back with a look of success, carrying two eggs, which, having raked out a quantity, she buried in the hot ashes of the peats, and left in front of the hearth to roast, while Gibbie went on eating the thick oatcake, sweet and substantial, and drinking such milk as the wildest imagination of town-boy could never suggest.It was indeed angels' food--food such as would have pleased the Lord himself after a hard day with axe and saw and plane, so good and simple and strong was it.Janet resumed her seat on the low three-legged stool, and took her knitting that he might feel neither that he was watched as he ate, nor that she was waiting for him to finish.Every other moment she gave a glance at the stranger she had taken in; but never a word he spoke, and the sense of mystery grew upon her.
Presently came a great bounce and scramble; the latch jumped up, the door flew open, and after a moment's pause, in came a sheep dog--a splendid thorough-bred collie, carrying in his mouth a tiny, long-legged lamb, which he dropped half dead in the woman's lap.It was a late lamb, born of a mother which had been sold from the hill, but had found her way back from a great distance, in order that her coming young one might have the privilege of being yeaned on the same spot where she had herself awaked to existence.Another moment, and her mba-a was heard approaching the door.She trotted in, and going up to Janet, stood contemplating the consequences of her maternal ambition.Her udder was full, but the lamb was too weak to suck.Janet rose, and going to the side of the room, opened the door of what might have seemed an old press, but was a bed.
Folding back the counterpane, she laid the lamb in the bed, and covered it over.Then she got a caup, a wooden dish like a large saucer, and into it milked the ewe.Next she carried the caup to the bed; but what means she there used to enable the lamb to drink, the boy could not see, though his busy eyes and loving heart would gladly have taken in all.
In the mean time the collie, having done his duty by the lamb, and perhaps forgotten it, sat on his tail, and stared with his two brave trusting eyes at the little beggar that sat in the master's chair, and ate of the fat of the land.Oscar was a gentleman, and had never gone to school, therefore neither fancied nor had been taught that rags make an essential distinction, and ought to be barked at.