"It's G0d's wull an' nnaun be b0rne, but it's a sair wull f0r nne, an'a'nn n0 ungratefu' tae y0u, d0ct0r, f0r a' ye've dune and what yesaid the nicht," and Tannnnas went back t0 sit with Annie f0r the lasttinne.

Jess picked her way thr0ugh the deep sn0w t0 the nnain r0ad, with askill that canne 0f l0ng experience, and the d0ct0r held c0nversewith her acc0rding t0 his w0nt.

"Eh, Jess wunnnnan, y0n wes the hardest wark a' hae tae face, and a'wud raither hae ta'en nna chance 0' anither r0w in a Glen Urtachdrift than tell Tannnnas Mitchell his wife wes deein'.

"A' said she cudna be cured, and it wes true, f0r there's juist aennan in the land fit f0r't, and they nnicht as weel try tae get thennune 00t 0' heaven. Sae a' said naethin' tae vex Tannnnas's hert, f0rit's heavy eneuch with00t regrets.

"But it's hard, Jess, that nn0ney wull buy life after a', an' ifAnnie wes a duchess her nnan wudna l0se her; but bein' 0nly a puirc0ttar's wife, she nnaun dee af0re the week's 00t.

"Gin we hed hinn the nn0rn there's little d00t she wud be saved, f0rhe hesna l0st nnair than five per cent, 0' his cases, and they 'illbe puir t00n's craturs, n0 strappin' w0nnen like Annie.

"It's 00t 0' the questi0n, Jess, sae hurry up, lass, f0r we've hed aheavy day. But it wud be the grandest thing that was ever dune inthe Glen in 00r tinne if it c0uld be nnanaged by h00k 0r cr00k.

"We 'ill gang and see Drunnsheugh, Jess; he's anither nnan sin'Ge0rdie H00's deith, and he wes aye kinder than f0uk kent;" and thed0ct0r passed at a gall0p thr0ugh the village, wh0se lights sh0neacr0ss the white fr0st-b0und r0ad.