ket over her arm. "Here, cover him with this, Rotha can
spare it."

In a minute more Robbie's insensible form was wrapped round and round.

"Give him room to breathe," said Mattha; "I declare ye're playing at
pund-o'-mair-weight with the lad!" he added as Rotha came up with a
sheepskin and a shawl.

"The night is cold, and he has all but three miles to ride yet!" said
the girl.

"He lodges with 'Becca Rudd; let's be off," said Liza, clambering into
the cart by the step at the shaft. "Come up, father; quick!"

"What, Bobbie, Bobbie, but this is bad wark, bad wark," said Mattha,
when seated in the wagon. "Hod thy tail in the watter, lad, and
there's hope for thee yit."

With this figurative expression Mattha settled himself for the drive.
Rotha turned to Reuben Thwaite.

"At Carlisle, did you hear anything--meet anybody?" she asked.

"Baith," said Reuben, with a twinkle which was lost in the darkness.

"I mean from Wythburn. Did you meet anybody from--did you see Ralph or
my father?"

"Nowther."

"Nor hear of them?"

"No--wait--deary me, deary me, now 'at I mind it--I nivver thought of
it afore--I heeard 'at a man had been had up at the Toon Hall and
taken to the gaol. It cannot be 'at the man were--no, no--I'm ram'lin'
mysel sure-ly."

"Ralph; it was Ralph!" said Rotha, trembling visibly. "Be quick. Good
night!" "Ralph at Carlisle!" said Mattha. "Weel, weel; after word
comes weird. That's why the constables are gone, and that's why
Robbie's come. Weel, weel! Up with thee, Reuben, and let us try the
legs of this auld dobbin of thine."

How Rotha got back into the house that night she never knew. She could
not remember to have heard the rattle of the springless cart as it was
being driven off. All was for the moment a blank waste.

When she recovered consciousness she was sitting by the side of Mrs.
Ray, with her arms about the neck of the invalid and her head on the
unconscious breast. The soulless eyes looked with a meaningless stare
at the girl's troubled face.

The agony of suspense was over, and the worst had happened. What now
remained to her to say to Willy? He knew nothing of what she had done.
Sim's absence had been too familiar an occurrence to excite suspicion,
and Robbie Anderson had not been missed. What should she say?

This was the night of Thursday. During the long hours of the weary
days since Sunday, Rotha had conjured up again and again a scene
overflowing with delight, in which sh