Aloud she said, "Aweel, sir, Mr.Alexander that will be laird is coming hame frae foreign parts ?" "Yes." "Sic a wanderer as he has been! But there!" said Mrs.Macmurdo, "ony that saw him when he was a laddie gaeing here and gaeing there by his lane-some, glen and brae and muir, might ha' said, 'Ye're a wanderer--and as sune as ye may ye'll wander farther!'" "You're quite right, Mrs.Macmurdo," said Strickland, and took his parcel from her.
"A wanderer and a seeker!" Mrs.Macmurdo was loth to let him go.

"And his great friend is still Captain Ian Rullock ?" "Yes, still." Mrs.Macmurdo reluctantly opened the shop door.

"Aweel, sir, if ye maun gae .-- There'll be snaw the night, I'm thinking! Do ye stop at the inn?
There's twa-three sogers in town." Strickland had not meant to stop.

But, coming to the Jardine Arms and glancing through the window, he saw by the light of the fire in the common room four men in red coats sitting at table, drinking.

He felt jaded and depressed, needing distraction from the gray chill day and the laird's dying.