y own sister Jessie. He asked me
many a question concerning her; and if I turned from the subject to
point out some object in the scenery that I thought would interest
him, he was sure to lead me back in some way to talk of Jessie.

We had now passed by the standing stones of Stenness, which my
companion showed but little interest in, saying they were nothing
compared with the Druid circle of Stonehenge, in England; and our
way then lay along a straight uninteresting road past Finstown, and
by the southern shores of the Bay of Firth, where the green holms
of Damsay and Grimbister lay like floating gardens on the calm
water. Soon the great red cathedral of St. Magnus loomed in sight
above the antique houses of Kirkwall; and after our drive of
fourteen miles we entered the old town and pulled up at the
courthouse, where we met Abernethy and Miller and the rest who had
been of the boating party.

I took the pony and gig to the Falcon Inn, and left them there
until the trial should be over. I was alone the rest of the
morning, for such an important trial as that of "Kinlay versus
Paterson" must be conducted in private, and only those who appeared
as witnesses or in other capacities connected with the case were
permitted to be present.

But the time was not spent wearily, for I knew the town of Kirkwall
very well, and there were many folks anxious to hear from me the
full particulars of the fatality in Hoy Sound. Amongst these was
old Colin Lothian, whose wanderings had brought him to Kirkwall.
The old man sat with me on a stone seat in the shadow of the
cathedral, and talked long of the accident and of my own blighted
prospects, and at length of the trial that was now going on in the
courthouse.

I mentioned Thora, and said we had met her on the road in company
with Hilda Paterson. Colin was fond of Thora, and talked of her
with affection, notwithstanding his hatred of her father.

"Ay, there again, there again, you see," said he. "What cares the
lass though her father brings up Jack Paterson? It doesna make a
bawbee's difference in Thora's liking for Jack's lass. Ah there's
good in Thora. She's a right good girl, my lad, and I warrant she
would do anything for them that are good wi' her."

As we sat there Captain Gordon joined us sooner than I expected,
and I asked him how they had settled the case.

"Oh!" said he, "the trial hasn't begun yet; the humbug of a sheriff
clerk has sent us away till three o'clock."