.'

It was hard to be cheerful; and the young folk clustered about in
melancholy groups until the dog-cart arrived, when the Stewarts
unwillingly took their leave, with many promises on both sides to
communicate whatever might come to light in the meanwhile.

'Now, Duncan,' said Allan, after the dog-cart had started; 'tell us
what has happened?'

'Indeed, Master Allan; it iss ahl ferry unlucky indeed; and it iss
ferry sorry I will be for puir Neil and for Mrs. Macdonnell. You will
be knowing the night before the robbery wass committed Neil will have
been spending the evening with the MacAlisters. He wass expecting a
letter; and it will be a stormy evening and the mail steamer will not
be coming in till ferry late so that the letters wass not sent away
that night, but Neil wass allowed to look among them for his own.
There wass a registered letter for the laird; and it come out in the
evidence that Neil would see it, and that no one else but only Mr. and
Mrs. MacAlister and Neil himself could have peen knowing that it wass
there.'

'But what could make them think that Neil would break into the
post-office and steal a letter? Neil, of all people!'

'Well then, the ferry next day Neil will pe sending away a letter, and
in that letter wass one of the ferry orders that had been in the
laird's letter.'

'But how do they know that it was the same order; and how can they be
certain that it was Neil who sent it away. There must have been a
great many orders presented in the Edinburgh Post Office that day.'

'They know that it wass the laird's order, Master Allan, because the
gentleman who had sent away the orders had kept the number of them all;
and they know that Neil had sent it away because the man he sent it to
took it out of the envelope in ta post-office, and there wass a letter
with it signed clearly in his own handwriting; "Neil Macdonnell."'

Allan sat up and pushed his cap to the back of his head.

'It's very strange,' he said; 'there must be some mistake!'

'How did poor old Neil take it, when he was arrested and all that?'
asked Reggie.

'Neil wass ferry much astonished, Master Reggie, and could not pelieve
it at ahl. He said the order he had sent away wass not the laird's but
another one ahltogether. Afterwards he wass ferry angry; and in court
he stood up as prave as a lion and said he had neffer seen the order
and that he had neffer sent it away whateffer, and that it wass all
lies. They will