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Sometimes he would yell, "Well, a fool." It was either Needier or Oldham and Grandmama would then say teasingly, bar 1 couldn't be James Macintosh." You see GrandWSI was very fond of James Macintosh." She now ded towards the wall saying, 'Robbie's his son." He wasn't enlightened, but he knew he would be l- * bar bar hey were walking on again as she said, "Grand-bar ta you see, was a lieutenant-colonel or colonel, or bar 6Bething like that and he had a batman named Ja bar Macintosh, who went to India with him. That was I first time Jamie rescued him. It was in a skirmish

E nething like that. Grandpapa found himself in a @l was hemmed in and the brave Scots laddie," had dropped into Scottish brogue now and was at him- "shot his way in. In fact, I mink, Grandpapa he yelled a lot. He must have them to death which is why they ran. Anyt's how he got Grandpapa out. He was be they were both wounded; but Jamie got him ie second time was more serious. Jamie h, I understand was then a sergeant.

They

weren't in India this time but in some other outlandish place, and Grandpapa was in charge of a company or something, and they had to retreat." She turned now, her face bright and laughing. "You always hear of the British advancing, never retreating, don't you?"'

He bit on his lip but said nothing. And so she went on again, "Well, in their retreat the Ghurkas or whoever they were... which side were the Ghurkas on?"' "It all depended," he said,

"when all this happened." "Oh, but anyway, whoever it was, they shot Grandpapa in the leg. They thought he was dead and so they just tramped over him. But the great Jamie Macintosh" comshe had reverted to the Scottish brogue again- "what does he do? He goes out to that field at night and sorts out my Grandpapa. But they were lying in wait and they shot Jamie's arm off." His eyes widened and he said,

"Really!" "Yes, really, right from there." She pointed above the elbow. "He used to have a hook.

He could do lots of fanny things with that hook.

Anyway, the great Jamie was decorated; quite a hero he was. And Grandpapa didn't lose his leg, but he always had to walk with a stick.

Jamie Macintosh, it's a wonder he didn't grow another arm. Anyway, there was our wonderful kitchen garden with the high wall all round it right down to the river. It was the best piece of soil, the gardener said in the whole of the estate, and beautiful fruit trees grew on the side of the wall where the sun hit them and the fruit and vegetables came up on their own. And at the head of that piece of land was a cottage. Well, it was bigger than a cottage, with eight roms altogether, as well as offices, so it's bigger than a ottage, isn't it? He nodded at her. 'And

ad been empty for some rime. So what does aodpapa do? but get it fixed up for Janoie.

And, ififlfeove, he had to do this in secret. Of course iJI-TANDINAMA knew, but ather didn't.

Father was ninellggsn at the time and very land-conscious; in fact, he I is. But Grandpapa passed over to Jamie all the lgd beyond that wall. It was about ten acres of workite and planting land with a yard beyond for aniIJ-ILIAFA; or at least some. There are two meadows in ltteh to run a horse and a couple of sheep. And, as sl andence men said, it was the best piece of land in the oe estate, because with so many pine trees growg all over the place, the roots riddled the earth, so d nd they had to break new ground on this

to make a new kitchen garden. It used to be a wer garden with greenhouses and a vinery and so. It took hard work. I understand my father was gious, but he couldn't do anything about it because andpapa had passed it over as... ahem!" comshe Ipteked her tongue before she asked as a qustion, of gift?"'

Yes, you can pass things over as a deed of Ell, that's what he did. Then the war started, t didn't really start until after Grandpapa died. u see, the wall goes right down to the water andpapa used to put on his high waterproof boots and wade into the river and round the the wall. That was easy.

I used to pldge The only other way in was to go on to the oad and through the front gate. That was a wak for Grandpapa and he used to take me hand from when I was very small and we

would go to Robbie's. Oh, I forgot to tell you that Jamie had married Annie, and she had Robbie.

He was ten when I was bo. I was the last of the tribe. Mrs Annie makes lovely griddles in the pan and thickens them with butter and honey. And of course, I used to be sick and there was always trouble.

I can remember from when I was three going pldging round there. Robbie was thirteen then or twelve or something like that, but I used to follow him around like Floss. He seemed old to me. Then there would be the days when Mary May and Henrietta those were the cows, came round the wall and got into the garden and ate the srubs. Oh my! Oh my! So, to keep the peace, Grandpapa arranged for some railings and wire to be attached to the wall and extend into the river. Of course, it was further to pldge and get round; but there were still times when Mary May made the journey. Ten she calved and little Mary May used to follow her."

She fell silent now and she gazed towards me wall and her voice had a deep, sad note to it as she resumed, hey were wonderful days, beautiful days. Even when it snowed and sleeted and rained, the sun always seemed to shine, because Grandpapa and Grandmama were here. They were lovely people. Then two years ago everything seemed to happen at once."

She turned and stared him fully in the face, saying,

'Grandmama died, quite suddenly. Grandpapa was sitting with his arm around her and she died like that; and two months later, he died too:

he couldn't live without her. Prom the day she died he never went into te water. He sometimes went along the road to Robbie's front gate,

'cos Jamie had died the previous year and Grandpapa missed him so

it Robbie acted as a good second and would all Grandpapa's tales of what he and Jamie in the wars, and what a brave man Robbie's been. Then three months later Mama died, na in that one year. That was two years ago. ave never been the same since." She looked her feet now and said,

"Neither Grandmama dpapa wanted to die; their life together was . But I think Mama wanted to die.

Oh yes. r head jerked up and her voice was a whisper he said, 'I shouldn't have said that, should not? It's in your mind and I'm a doctor, Es the same as being a priest, you know; I don't ngs on."

" There was a question in the word. he asked, 'Why are things not the same now?"' was walking on again, slightly ahead of him, aid, "Beatrice has taken over; she's now head house. She loves the house, you know. She in it. None of us have any feeling for the house and Father have. She's very like Father.

Then the war between Father and Robbie. If you line down here you'll see what I mean... down to bar Have river."

pEley walked by the wall and as they neared the she let out a high exclamation, crying, "Oh no! ptey May. Oh no! Mary May," for there, coming pttd the end of the wood and wire entanglement was

bar pfe watched the girl now drop onto the grass, pull bar 1 her shoes, then quite unselfconsciously lift up her pull down her garters from below her knees,

then her stockings, push hese into her shoes, tie the laces together, sling them around her neck and dash into the water, saying as she did so Take your shoes off if you want to come."

'I'd rather climb the wall," he shouted back at her.

"Can you?"'

"Oh yes, yes; I'm used to climbing."

He watched her now get a hold of the cow's ear and turn it about. The water was well over her knees and soaking the bottoms of her petticoats and what looked like the frill of her drawers. She was talking all the time to the cow while at the same time shouting, Robbie! Robbie!"

He glanced along the wall. Here and there a roug stone protruded from it. He made for one, and hauled himself up by it, far enough so that he could stretch and grab at the top of the wall. From there he could see he was right above a pig-sty with a grunter looking enquiringly at him. Then, looking down the path, he saw a young man, who cried at him, 'Hitch yourself along to the right. There's a ladder there."

Glancing to the right he inched himself rather painfully along the uneven stone wall until he reached some espalier apple bushes trained along the wall.

Then he saw the ladder.

By the time he reached the ground the young fellow was taking the cow from Rosie's hands and saying, "You should have left her there."

"And let Father shoot her? He will, you know. As sure as eggs are eggs he'll shoot her. He told you last dme."

"Just let him try. I've got a very good aim meself, and I've already promised him that."

an't you put a barrier across the bottom so they t get into the water at all?"'

hy should I? The river's a public pathway."

In't be silly, Robbie."

bar *ca not being silly, Rosie. The river is a public

ay. You look it up."

it?"' She had turned to John now who was dust-hanself down and wondering whether the seat of pants would last out until he got back to his lodg-tliad he answered her 'I've never heard of it; but

E " iend says it is, then I'm sure it is."

" said Robbie.

Robbie. I've heard a lot about you."

Jre the new doctor?"'

I'm the new doctor."

I hope you answer calls quicker than your K, Ills not my boss, Robbie, he's my partner."

b you're partners. Oh, partners? You've bought Bood! Good! Well, I'll be pleased to see you at lnae. Wait till I lock this one up, then come up

Jand have a cup of tea."

disat least I am a guest at a birthday party."

over the wall.

Well they won't miss you for an extra i, so come and meet my moher. She's bling about aches and pains; she'll be bar bar But' see you."

tohn walked up the long path towards the pretty P at the end of the land he could understand this Pbba productive piece of ground, judging by the

pfe plants were sprouting up all around him, and bar bar hy the present owner next door hadn't wanted

to lose it. Oh yes. Oh yes, he could see that an right j But in a way he was glad that this forthright young man was following in his fatr's footsteps.

He! sounded like his forebear: a man it would be good to have with you in a tight comer i

Mrs Annie Macintosh seemed to him to be well j named: she was round, plump, rosy ad cheery. just.

'Oh, you're a welcome visitor

Doctor," she imblea mediately said to him.

"We'll likely get a bit of at-1 tention now. You've got to be dead and ready for j your box before the old 'un will put his neb in the j door and then it's only to see if you're screwed down j all right." bar

ohn laughed, flnking it was odd why everybody bar referd to his partner as "the old

'un", when he was only in his fifties.

Admittedly though, he did look a bit wo.

Te batte had taken its toll, and in more places than bis leg.

As he sat in the kitchen tasting Mrs Macintosh's griddle cakes, hot off the pan, the young fellow was saying to Rosie, "Get your shoes and stockings on again; anything less like a young lady I've never seen." I

"Oh you! Then you should keep your animals itt order and I wouldn't have to strip off so many times.

John and Robbie exchanged a knowing glance at mis and only just managed to suppress what could have been a bellow of laughter at her words.

'allyou have a very nice house here, Mrs Macintos, said Jon now.

'Aye, it isn't bad; and all due to me Colonel, ble him. May he rest in peace. And I'm sure he does, an

bar alongside him. He's a great miss. He is that,

Jhe, Miss Rosie?"'

es. Yes, he is, Mrs Annie. I miss them both every because they were lovely people." ou're not the only one, lass. You're not the only IW-ELL now, another griddle Doctor?"'

"lllationo No, thank you. I'm expected to go and eat Ene birthday cake. Isn't that so, Rosie?"' Sl bar at h yes, I suppose so," she replied bending to faste lace of a shoe.

Then she stood up as she added,

should be there now, so come on. Her tone 1 casual as if she were addressing an old friend.

are you going to get back? I'm not going wall or through that water. You can, but I'm down the road."

said I was going through the water? I'm gokwn the road, too."

look out," said Robbie now to Rosie. be squalls if you're caught." never been caught yet." don't act too clever. Go on, get yourself

was amused at the attitude between them. could have been father and daughter, or bother

But if his guess was right, there were difthoughts in Robbie's mind with regard to this iugh he didn't know about her, for she was bar greater-than Bng; in fact, childlike in her unconscious gaiety. minutes later they had made their way through in the railings in the pine wood to emerge onto and were walking side by side, as if they done the rounds. And Rosie's next remark HH-LILATION s attention back to her sister: 'Look!" she said; "Beatrice has already started on your chocolates. J She's got a thing about chocolates. She's always nib- j bling chocolates, but she never gets fat. It's a good job her fancy isn't towards wine or beer, isn't it? That would be something. Just think of the effect.

Oh my!"

As her laughter joined his, he thought, she's like a bar breath of fresh air. It's to be hoped she'll remain so, J at least for a while fc m was to look back on the garden-cum-birthday gttty as the beginning of his new life. His medical lning seemed to be far away in the past. Two years bar "ent walking the wards were as if they had never ln.

His mother was the only thing that remained ptMninent in that past. This reminded him that he bar KH-ILD have gone to see her today. But a visit would bar an a rush there and back and today was his day and he felt he wanted it to himself: to get away bar at m the town and people, to walk in wide open Spaces, to climb hills, if not mountains. He just bar anted to get away.

Yes, just get away. Which is Ifaat he did, with a knapsack on his back and freshly bar ced buns and sandwiches from the bakers' and two ttles of ale.

It was the middle of July. The sky was high, and re was a slight breeze blowing that tempered the at.