He's such a ticklish subject, you see, my lady! It's quite
alarming to be left alone with him. It's his heart; and you know, my
lady--I should be sorry to frighten you, but you know, Mr. Grant, a
gentleman with that complaint may go off any moment. I must go back to
him now, my lady, if you please."

Arctura turned and looked at Donal.

"We must be careful," he said.

"We must," she answered. "Just thereabout is one of the few places in
the house where you hear the music."

"And thereabout the music-chimney goes down! That is settled! But why
should my lord be frightened so?"

"I cannot tell. He is not like other people, you know."

"Where else is the music heard? You and your uncle seem to hear it
oftener than anyone else."

"In my own room. But we will talk to-morrow. Good night."

"I will remain here the rest of the evening," said Donal, "in case
Simmons might want me to help with his lordship."

It was well into the night, and he still sat reading in the library,
when Mrs. Brookes came to him. She had had to get his lordship "what he
ca'd a cat--something or ither, but was naething but mustard to the
soles o' 's feet to draw awa' the bluid."

"He's better the noo," she said. "He's taen a doze o' ane o' thae
drogues he's aye potterin' wi'--fain to learn the trade o' livin' for
ever, I reckon! But that's a thing the Lord has keepit in 's ain han's.
The tree o' life was never aten o', an' never wull be noo i' this
warl'; it's lang transplantit. But eh, as to livin' for ever, or I wud
be his lordship, I wud gie up the ghost at ance!"

"What makes you say that, mistress Brookes?" asked Donal.

"It's no ilk ane I wud answer sic a queston til," she replied; "but I'm
weel assured ye hae sense an' hert eneuch baith, no to hurt a cratur';
an' I'll jist gang sae far as say to yersel', an' 'atween the twa o'
's, 'at I hae h'ard frae them 'at's awa'--them 'at weel kent, bein'
aboot the place an' trustit--that whan the fit was upon him, he was
fell cruel to the bonnie wife he merriet abro'd an' broucht hame wi'
him--til a cauld-hertit country, puir thing, she maun hae thoucht it!"

"How could he have been cruel to her in the house of his brother? Even
if he was the wretch to be guilty of it, his brother would never have
connived at the ill-treatment of any woman under his roof!"

"Hoo ken ye the auld yerl sae weel?" asked Mrs. Brookes, with a sly
glance.

"I ken," answered Donal, direct as was his wont, but fin