Margaret of Glen Vernock was to stay with her for company.
As for the rest of us, we had information brought us by sure hands, of
the hiding-places of Anton Lennox and the rest of the wanderers.

The maids were set upon accompanying us--Maisie Lennox to see her
father, and Kate McGhie because Maisie Lennox was going. But after a
long controversy we also prevailed on them to abide at home and wait for
our return. Yet it came to me afterwards that I saw a look pass between
them, such as I had seen before, when it is in the heart of the women
folk to play some trick upon the duller wits of mankind. It is as though
they said, "After all, what gulls these men be!"

So that night I slept with Wat in the gardener's hut, and early in the
morning we went down to the great house to bid the maids good-bye. But
there we found only Alisoun Begbie. The nest was empty and the birds
flown. Only Roger McGhie was walking up and down the beech avenue of the
old house, deep in thought. He had his hands behind his back, and
sometimes the corners of his mouth seemed to smile through his gloom
with a curious pleasantry. Wat and I kept well out of his sight, and I
could not help wondering how much, after all, he understood of our
ongoings. More than any of us thought at that time, I warrant, for it
was the man's humour to know much and say little.

Alisoun Begbie, who seemed not unwilling that we should stop and
converse with her, told us that after Clavers had departed, Mistress
Kate had gone in to her father to tell him that she was going away for a
space of days.

"Mind, ye are not to rise before your ordinary in the morning, father,"
she said; "I shall be gone by the dawn."

"Very well, Kate," he replied, continuing to draw off his coat and
prepare for bed; "I shall sell the Boreland to pay the fine."

This was all he said; and having kissed his daughter good-night, calmly
and pleasantly as was his wont, he set a silken skull-cap on his crown
and fell asleep.

Truly a remarkable man was Roger McGhie of Balmaghie.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

IN COVE MACATERICK.

Wat and I took our way immediately towards those wilds where, as we had
been advised, Auld Anton Lennox was hidden. He was (so we were informed)
stricken with great sickness and needed our ministrations. But in the
wild country into which we were going was no provision for the
up-putting of young and delicate maids, specially such as were
accustomed to the luxuries of th