estness, Jane
laid her hand upon his arm.

"I tell you, that if anything happens to my dear lady, I shall think
it's his doing."

"Hoot--tut--tut! lassie, ye're giving way to strange thoughts, such as
oughtn't to be in a Christian woman's heart. And now, lassie, I winna
bother ye, but ye'll always talk to me like this, and come to me for
counsel. I'm nae Solomon, Jenny, but I'll always tell ye the most I
know. And there, there, little one, ye'll be my ain wife some day,
winna ye?"

There must have been something very satisfactory in Jane's reply, for,
after a few moment's silence, Alexander McCray went softly away upon the
points of his boots, making his way into the garden, where he was soon
busy superintending the improvement of flower-beds, and making
alterations in spots that had long been an eyesore to him, inasmuch as
they had been favourite whims of the now pensioned off, prejudiced old
man, who had hitherto ruled the grounds.

"Gude sake, she's a real woman," muttered Sandy, as he raised his cap to
Lady Gernon, who, basket in hand, passed him on her way to the gates.
"I like to see a woman with a lo'e for flowers, even if they be the wild
wee bits o' things she picks. But here comes the laird."

Book 1, Chapter XXXI.

UNDER ORDERS.

Andy McCray, in spite of his dignity as head "gairdner," was not above
working hard himself, and he was busy enough when, slowly and gloomily,
Sir Murray made his appearance, looking anxiously about the grounds, as
if in search of something he could not see. He went first in one
direction, then in another, and at last he returned to where Sandy was
busy.

"Has her ladyship passed this way, gardener?" he said.

"Yes, Sir Mooray, a quarter of an hour syne. She took the path for the
north gate."

Sir Murray Gernon bent his head by way of thanks, and walked slowly down
the path till he had passed round the house, when he started off walking
swiftly, making for the north gate, through which he passed, and then
walked hurriedly on.

There was the wife of one of the under-gardeners at the lodge ready to
drop him a courtesy, and from her he could, no doubt, have learned in a
moment which direction her ladyship had taken, but he refrained from
asking; and, evidently with an idea that he knew the place to which she
would resort, he took a narrow path leading off towards a wood, one of
the few old forests yet left in England; but, after walking quite half
an hour, always a