"Madame," said he, bowing down with his hand over his heart, in his own
queer fashion, "I have met with much kindness in your hands, and it
shall always be in my heart. I didn't thought I could have been so
happy in the quiet country as you have made me. You will accept this
small souvenir; and you also, sir, you will take this little gift,
which I have the honour to make to you."

He put two little paper packets down upon the table at their elbows, and
then, with three more bows to my mother, he walked from the room.

Her present was a brooch, with a green stone set in the middle and a
dozen little shining white ones all round it. We had never seen such
things before, and did not know how to set a name to them; but they told
us afterwards at Berwick that the big one was an emerald and the others
were diamonds, and that they were worth much more than all the lambs we
had that spring. My dear old mother has been gone now this many a year,
but that bonny brooch sparkles at the neck of my eldest daughter when
she goes out into company; and I never look at it that I do not see the
keen eyes and the long thin nose and the cat's whiskers of our lodger at
West Inch. As to my father, he had a fine gold watch with a double
case; and a proud man was he as he sat with it in the palm of his hand,
his ear stooping to hearken to the tick. I do not know which was best
pleased, and they would talk of nothing but what de Lapp had given them.

"He's given you something more," said I at last.

"What then, Jock?" asked father.

"A husband for Cousin Edie," said I.